DIRECTOR
Yeon Sang-ho
Train to Busan, Peninsula, Jung_E

STARS
Jun Ji-hyun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Shin-rok and Go Soo

Co-writer and director Yeon Sang-ho has previously positioned viewers in a zombie apocalypse on a train from Seoul to Busan in Train to Busan, to great effect, and now locks us and his central characters inside a building with a rapidly growing number of zombies in the fast-paced and fun horror flick Colony.

The impending terror unfolds shortly after the arrival of a CEO of a bio company at the Dongwoo-ri Building where he is due to give a presentation. Attending the conference is Kwon Se-jeong (Jun Ji-hyun), an unemployed professor seeking a job opportunity, and her ex-husband, Han Gyu-sung (Go Soo), who will soon emigrate overseas with his wife and child. Aside from conference attendees, the Dongwoo-ri Building is open to public access with department stores inside and a scientist, Seo Young-chul (Koo Kyo-hwan), who has a vaccine for the outbreak but believes his research has been stolen from him by the company CEO.

The horror genre is thriving right now across the world, with current releases Obsession (Ok but hugely overrated) and Backrooms (Incredible and somewhat underrated) dominating the box office and being the topic of numerous movie conversations at present. Though it might be up against some stiff competition, Colony certainly deserves a piece of that same attention and praise.

Though some of its more specific plot developments are murky, Yeon Sang-ho’s new movie injects individuality into the popular genre and impresses with some great physical effects and set-piece sequences.

Quite early into the outbreak, an avenue to conquering the flesh-eating monsters seems within reach. However, as our panic-stricken group of people are about to learn, these zombies are under the influence or control of something outside of their own beings. Worst still, they are quickly multiplying in numbers and their capabilities are upgrading, adopting the ability to outsmart their human prey. These inventive developments in Colony consistently keep it fresh and ensure the zombies remain an evolving threat. Less people may agree with me that there are even some Stranger Things influences by way of its production design.

Plenty of fun to be had… and perhaps even a future sequel!

Colony is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from June 11th, 2026.

Moviedoc thanks K-Movie Entertainment and Nixco for providing a screener link to watch and review this film.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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