In Colony, a dude makes another zombie movie because he made a really cool zombie movie before called Train to Busan, but because he didn’t want to make more of the same he made the zombies different—and yet it feels like more of the same, but not as good as Train to Busan.
Pretty sure my old English teacher would have given me an “A” for that opening paragraph.
I used to be a huge zombie genre fan, and to some degree I still am, but I’ve come to learn that it’s really hard to bring anything unique or new to the table these days. Director Yeon Sang-ho, who co-wrote the film, tries but largely fails to set Colony apart.
Train to Busan is an utter blast, in part because it’s a relentless thrill ride set on a speeding train packed full of zombies (its unique differentiator: speed). His sequel, Peninsula, is solidly made but relatively forgettable (its unique differentiator: unsure)—it’s hard to capture artery spray in a bottle twice, especially when you lose the intense setting that creates do-or-die moments every second. With Colony, set in an office building and mall, Yeon doesn’t do himself any favors from an atmospheric perspective.
The zombies here are different, even unique, but not necessarily memorable. Mind control and a Borg-like premise play a big role, but the zombies themselves elicit shrugs more than terror. Yeon could have done more with the concept at hand, but it all feels a little half-hearted and rushed; the main villain, Seo Young-chul (played with a you-want-to-punch-him-in-the-face sneer by Koo Kyo-hwan), is almost sinister but so poorly written the character just doesn’t work. And because he doesn’t work, the story crumbles around him. The lack of any standout zombie sequences doesn’t help either; there is no shortage of zombie attacks, but after a while you start to hope that someone will take a big bite out of the final reel to move us along to the ending.
This review is harsher than intended; Colony is well-made and executed, with a fast pace and a semi-original plot that at least attempts to put a new spin on the zombie genre. For that it should be commended. But as whole, there isn’t as much to chew on as you’d expect from the guy who made the thrill ride that is Train to Busan. Maybe it’s time to make something outside the zombie genre, even if you are that dude.
Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.