Colony: This South Korean Zombie Flick Is Brutal, Fast, And Relentless

Zombie flicks are an addictive form of entertainment for horror enthusiasts on account of the rush of fear, tension and jump scare moments which these films traditionally deliver. The latest release is Colony a South Korean production directed by Yeo Sang-ho whose previous films include Train To Busan and Peninsula.

Colony is set in a locked down high rise building which is being threatened by a highly contagious bio attack and only one man has the vaccine. The film follows a group of people who are attempting to escape from hundreds of zombies which are scouring the building and multiplying as they bite the unsuspecting.

What makes their plight more terrifying is they’re all alone – nobody can hear them scream. They must reach the roof unassisted as the rescue teams will not aid them owing to their potential exposure to the virus.

And the reason for this infection? A crazy man wants to take humanity to the next level!

Excitement, suspense and constant zombie action are the reasons this film has successfully captured the imagination of moviegoers and accelerated the hype worldwide. The film premiered at a midnight screening at the Cannes Film Festival this year to elated audiences.

What stands this zombie horror flick aside from most other films in this genre are the acting skills of the scores of minor players who portrait the zombies. Authenticity is achieved through their sinister body movements and facial expressions which must have required extensive rehearsals, compounded by the makeup which gives these braindead creatures grotesque and very frightening appearances. The transformations from human to zombie are especially repulsive as a result of the brilliant designs and creations of the skillful VFX and SFX artists.

The main cast who may be A-Lister actors in South Korea are largely unknown to Australian audiences, but they deliver performances which enhance the credibility and horrific nature of the story.

At a running time of just over two hours, no time is wasted in introducing audiences to these vile creatures. Unsettling and blood-curdling scenes of people being chased, mauled and frenziedly devoured may be too graphic and nauseating for the more sensitive of viewers.

A traditional technique in horror and disaster flicks of having audiences warm to certain characters only to have them brutally eliminated one by one is utilised, leading audiences to ponder the idiom ‘and then there were none’.

There’s never a dull moment in Colony – no cheesy sequences which traditionally saturate this style of films and the production values are high. Australian viewers who have never watched a South Korean film should be surprised at the high standards of their filmmaking.

Colony is a fun and high paced gorefest – it’s infectious entertainment!

***1/2

In Cinemas June 11