Very Cool!!!

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Despite the bad reviews out there, I believe the movie progresses somewhat convincingly (with a few mishaps here and there), but eventually falls apart with a very foolish ending. So, if a good story is one that happens to be told decently from the very beginning till the end, this is clearly not it. In the end, I felt thoroughly cheated and my time wasted. Otherwise, good cinematography and believable sets and surroundings through the 2/3s of the movie.

In the near future, environmental damage and failed weather control has left the world in a runaway ice age. Humanity survives in a few underground colonies. Briggs (Laurence Fishburne) leads Colony 7. Mason (Bill Paxton) is his ruthless second in command. With medicine in short supply, even a minor cold is treated like the plague. Sam (Kevin Zegers) brings his concerns about Mason to Briggs. Kai (Charlotte Sullivan) maintains the seed collection. Suddenly, they receive an SOS from Colony 5. Briggs, Sam, and young Graydon go on a rescue mission. They find 5 deserted. A survivor shows them a transmission from a working recommissioned weather machine but soon they come under attack from cannibalistic survivors.This works fine as a cable TV movie. As a theatrical release, it lacks anything original or outstanding to remove it from being derivative. The CGI is noticeably inferior. The actors are fine with some top talents. The setting is either industrial interiors or a snowy stage. While there is competent work, it never rises above its B-movie status.

NO SPOILERS HERE: A review without a plot summary.How do movies like this get made? I mean, with all the money involved, doesn't someone stop and actually look at the product?Fist off, the script. It must be said that if a plot has to rely on the main characters making a litany of stupid mistakes to move it forward, then its probably not a great, well thought out story to begin with...and that's exactly what we have here with The Colony. There are countless places in the film where the story would have ended abruptly, if only the characters made a good decision. Using character stupidity as a major plot device, in a movie of this genre, is just lazy writing/filmmaking, plain and simple.The script is also ripe with over used horror troupes, which simply fall flat in the modern era of cinema. Audiences have just become to sophisticated for paint-by-numbers suspense for it to cause anxiety, fear, or thrills, simply because it's so predictable. Again, lazy writing/filmmaking.The story also lacks a well defined main theme, whether it be life in an post-apocalyptic earth, a treat from an outside source, or finding salvation. Without direction, the movie as a whole feels empty and meaningless.There is almost no character development. The story is imbalanced, in that, so much time is spent on the journey to and from a location in the film, there's no real time for the audience to get to know and care about the characters. Bill Paxton's character is way underdeveloped and underutilized. Laurence Fishburne's character was only fleshed out enough to be serviceable, but the audience feels not real connection to him, or any of the other characters for that matter. Therefore, it is difficult for the viewer to realty care about any of their fates. Hence, when one of the main characters dies, it carries no emotional impact.The bad force in the film is given no explanation, no back story, and it is very hyperbolic, to the point its almost cartoonish, where it loses its intended impact...especially during the climax if the film.The special effects in the film are only serviceable, as they're just a step above video game quality. This wouldn't have been so bad, if it weren't for the directors Peter Jacksonesque camera sweeps around and above some of the larger digital set pieces.The none of the actors gave memorable performances. Many of the actors seemed to just, "phone it in," as if this film was nothing more than a payday.The cinematography does achieve the feeling of vast openness of the outdoor set pieces. However, the film fails to produce the feeling of true isolation or the claustrophobic effects of living underground.If one could turn back the clock to 1987 and this were a made for TV movie, then it might have been something. But, this film was released in theaters 2013, so it fails to impress. Though, this isn't a film I'd place on the Worst Movies of All Time list, there's nothing worthy about it to make it worth recommending, even if its on Netflix and its a lazy Sunday. There are far better ways to waste your time.

The Colony could have flourished with good visual and cast, but it squanders the potential before it enters the second act. The main issue is how stagnant and predictable the plot progresses, screenplay it uses is the very generic template for sci-fi genre. It barely possesses any unique qualities, and by the time the movie is over, it will be either forgettable or interchangeable with any mediocre films.Story follows the survivors on Colony 7, led by Briggs (Laurence Fishburne). They have been plagued with the dangerous common cold, in which everyone who even shows symptoms are quarantined, possibly exiled or even killed. They also receive strange message from Colony 5, their neighbor colony and must go to examine whether it's real or not. The overall concept holds some promise, but there are far too many boring narratives and stupid behaviors from the characters to fully realize its prospect.Script is highly foreseeable, down to the sob stories of the survivors, which to the film's credit, would be salvageable if it actually portrays them instead of having guys talk about it. Characters also perform a few needless monologues that don't help setting the tension, they merely drag the movie by a few minutes. Furthermore, many of the characters' decision are moronic, the film tries to convince audience with stress or fear excuse, and even if that's true, it's still stupid by any stretch. This is the equivalent of seeing someone decide to split up in horror flick.Visual is pretty exceptional, it has good sharp contour and vibrant color. However, most of it are used in ordinary hallway full of pipes or barren wastelands, the most notably landmark is broken bridge which could very well be featured in half dozen other sci-fi films. The actors aren't that bad either, it's just the material is too thin and lacking any suspense for them to capitalize on.The Colony might have bits that could've worked, but with too predictable execution and uninspiring plot, a visit isn't exactly recommended.