The South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho, who brought us the electrifying train-bound zombie smash Train to Busan, returns to the undead with Colony, a Netflix sci-fi thriller that swaps social commentary for slick, soulless spectacle.
Set in a near-future where a mysterious fog has turned most of humanity into aggressive, fungus-infected creatures, the film follows a group of survivors who take refuge in a high-rise apartment complex. As their supplies dwindle and tensions rise, the building's strict hierarchical rules begin to crumble, and the real threat becomes human nature itself.
A familiar premise, executed with polish
Yeon's direction is as polished as ever, with sleek production design and kinetic action sequences that keep the runtime brisk. The creatures, inspired by real-life cordyceps fungi, are suitably creepy, and the film's claustrophobic setting generates genuine tension in its best moments.
Yet Colony feels like a retread of themes Yeon has explored more sharply elsewhere. The class critique that gave Train to Busan and Parasite (which Yeon co-wrote) their bite is present but diluted, reduced to a few pointed lines of dialogue rather than sustained storytelling.
Strong cast, thin characters
The ensemble, led by Lee Byung-hun and Park So-dam, delivers committed performances, but the characters are thinly sketched. The script rushes through its setup, leaving little room for the emotional investment that made Train to Busan's sacrifices so devastating.
The film's third act, which should be its emotional climax, instead descends into a series of generic chase sequences and a twist that feels both predictable and underdeveloped. By the time the credits roll, Colony has delivered its thrills but little else to chew on.
