Yeon Sang-ho returns to the zombie genre with “Colony”, a fast-moving South Korean survival thriller starring Gianna Jun, Koo Kyo-hwan, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Shin-rock, Shin Hyun-been and Go Soo.
Currently screening at the New York Asian Film Festival, “Colony” traps its characters inside a Seoul high-rise where a rapidly evolving infection begins transforming its victims into something more dangerous than ordinary zombies. They crawl on all fours, react to sound, follow commands, imitate voices and share information as a coordinated network.
In this Bad Accent Video Review, we examine the movie’s AI-era themes, its comparison with “Train to Busan”, Gianna Jun’s major comeback role, Koo Kyo-hwan’s villainous performance, the ant mill sequence, Jeon Young’s zombie choreography and the technical work behind the action.
Does “Colony” represent a worthy return to zombie cinema for Yeon Sang-ho, or does its emphasis on action come at the expense of character and narrative depth? Share your thoughts in the comments.
