Colony Review

Colony, a zombie film, is set to debut in theaters on August 28. Yeon Sang-ho’s 2016 hit, Train to Busan, made a significant impact on South Korean cinema and introduced the genre to a global audience. However, modern audiences have shifted away from zombie stories, likely due to oversaturation and the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Korean media has gained widespread popularity in the U.S., as seen in the success of 2022’s All of Us Are Dead on Netflix.

Yeon’s new film, Colony, explores a unique take on the zombie genre by centering on a mold-based biotech weapon designed to create a hivemind-like consciousness among humans. The film stars Koo Kyo-hwan as the ambitious scientist Seo Young-cheol, who unleashes the virus at a conference. The infected are not undead but still rabid, acrobatic, and highly coordinated. They act as one organism, expanding their membership much like the Borg from Star Trek or a Cirque Du Soleil troupe.

While the film's performances and choreography are praised, the script fails to deliver a cohesive exploration of the hivemind's information processing and emotion. The potential commentary on AI, algorithm-driven pop culture, or collective vs. individualistic cultures is hindered by inconsistent character dynamics and superficial character exploration. Despite these shortcomings, the film's fast-paced action sequences and the physicality of the zombie performers maintain a high level of intensity and creep factor.