Set in the distant future, a female astronaut, shipwrecked on the long-decimated Earth, must decide the fate of the wasteland’s remaining populace.
The trailer for “The Colony” promises lots of action and sci-fi elements but what we really get, is a grim, apocalyptic feature that is depressing from start to finish. Set in the distant future, a global catastrophe has decimated life on Earth and mankind has colonized Kepler 209, a distant planet that supports our way of life. Two generations later, a small band of astronauts, led by Blake (Nora Arnezeder), are sent back to Earth to see if its atmosphere has regenerated. What Blake finds, is a small band of survivors, who have endured for years and are extremely reclusive.
After Blake’s two fellow astronauts die from injuries sustained on the way down to Earth, she is captured by the survivors and quickly learns that there was a previous mission from Kepler 209, many years ago, led by her father, but when no word was ever received, they were all presumed dead. Blake discovers that her father is actually alive, and is locked away by the survivors’ leader, Gibson (Iain Glen), who says it is for his own good. Branded as crazy, Blake manages to sneak into her father’s room, only to discover that Gibson is not what he appears, and has ulterior motives.
What follows is a by-the-numbers, conventional drama under the guise of a sci-fi thriller as Blake tries to prevent Gibson from killing the survivors for his own nefarious needs. If director Tim Fehlbaum’s intention was to deliver a lifeless, mundane narrative, then by all accounts, he succeeded. While the movie most certainly feels bleak and somber, thanks to impressive camerawork by cinematographer Markus Förderer, and the constant dark, cloudy skies overhead, as well as an always-present, almost ethereal fog that envelopes everything, it does touch upon some interesting aspects, such as preserving a livable climate, endless food and fuel wars, and pandemics, ingredients that individually, or collectively, could most certainly bring an end to mankind.
Nora Arnezeder as sole astronaut Blake fails to incite any emotions whatsoever, she walks around the film looking pained and anguished, even when she is reunited with her thought-to-be-dead father. In one scene, she barely manages to crack a smile but then, just as quickly as it came, it is gone. The always-watchable Iain Glen does the best he can with his poorly-written character and he is just about the only engaging aspect of the story. The opening scene of Blake and her fellow astronauts strapped inside the capsule as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere, was exciting and well-shot but it ended much too quickly. It reminded me of Alfonso Cuarón’s excellent “Gravity,” starring Sandra Bullock, which I would highly recommend watching instead. But if you like dark, dystopian tales, filled with doom and gloom and hopelessness, then “The Colony” is for you.
Now available on Blu-ray™ and DVD
