Title: Colony
MPA Rating: R
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Starring: Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
What It Is: Professor Se Jeong (Ji-hyun) is attending a biotech conference with her ex-husband. Following the main presentation she goes to find the company’s CEO and instead witnesses the beginning of a bio-terrorist attack by the vengeful son of a scientist (who’s a scientist himself), Seo Yeong Cheol (Kyo-hwan), whose agenda is clear. Better communication through the evolution of humanity into a hivemind. As this mutating virus changes and transforms, those infected have a game plan to spread this thing throughout South Korea by any means necessary.
What We Think: It’s clear that Yeon Sang-ho, who also wrote the film, is a fantastic writer of science fiction and horror. Here is a great example of that. I have a bit of zombie fatigue, but this film also deserves a critique sans that bias. Looking at it in this way this is a great spin on the zombie genre. It’s also totally brutal. It isn’t the goriest thing in the world but it does not hold back with its characters. Any single character feels like they’re in danger at any given time. The film has an incredible look to it.
Our Grade: A-, As much as I tire of the zombie film on the whole this is a really great addition to the genre. What Sang-ho has done with his approach is unique and the film is overall really well made and worthy of a larger audience than it got during release. Korea has always and continues to have some exceptional horror film making. This director alone has done some projects worth a damn. I am absolutely recommending this one. It’s a little long in the tooth and takes a bit to get going but once it does woo boy. Check this one out!
