Those who anointed Yeon Sang-ho the next great zombie director likely missed his follow-up to 2016’s “Train to Busan.”
“Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula” proved drab and uninspired, suggesting he had used every undead trick en route to “Busan.”
The director’s “Colony” is as much a return to form as a reminder that the genre has plenty of life left in it. This smart, claustrophopic thriller offers a neat wrinkle to the undead blueprint, but the genre’s death count remains sky high.
Phew!
A mad scientist targets a bio conference with a plan out of a Bond villain playbook. He’ll unleash a virus in the building, both as a living experiment and a way to punish those who doubted him.
Two birds. One very nasty stone. That turns the gathering into a zombie nightmare, leaving the few unbitten survivors scrambling for safety.
The secondary story follows the experts and government officials around the building’s perimeter, plotting ways to contain the virus and, perhaps, save the survivors.
Or not.
Yes, zombie films showcase the very best, and worst of humanity, and “Colony” is no different. Still, the film’s main selling point is how the infected can connect with each other, as if part of a larger, wait for it, colony.
It’s a slick visual touch – they stop writhing and look up at the sky, as if downloading new software into their addled brains.
Then, seconds later, they’re smarter. Faster. Programmed to be more effective killers.
The zombies hunt by smell in a new clip from ‘COLONY,’ the latest infected nightmare from ‘TRAIN TO BUSAN’ director Yeon Sang-ho.
Watch them sniff out their next meal before the film invades theaters August 28: [https://t.co/bpLxR32Mr7] pic.twitter.com/QpaHZD8j6p
— Brad @ Dread Central (@DreadCentral) August 24, 2026
Suh Young-chul (Koo Kyo-hwan), the film’s villain, is as cool as Steve McQueen around a race track. He knows what he’s unleashed, and he’s confident he’ll get exactly what he wants from this experiment.
Once again, a human is the most fearsome monster in an undead romp.
That leaves the survivors to claw their way to safety and, more importantly, bond with audiences. Some perish too quickly for the latter, but others connect in small but profound ways.
Professor Kwan Se-Jeong (a solid Gianna Jun) is our unlikely heroine, using her guts and guile to outwit the evolving zombies. Others appear heroic at first, but the solid screenplay has other ideas.
That keeps us off balance from start to finish, but “Colony” never rises to the “Busan” standard. What movie could?
It’s still smart enough to inject the story with engaging ideas, like the power and perils of evolution. And you better think twice before trying to play God with one devastating virus.
The movie arrives when many look askance at “experts” in a post-COVID 19 world. Yeon Sang-ho plucks that nerve without becoming lost in tinfoil hattery. You don’t expect nuance in a zombie film, but it’s a welcome touch here.
Performances are solid across the board, but we’re not looking for dramatic line readings. “Colony” is a smart, calculated thrill ride packed with close calls and the darkness that lies at our collective hearts.
Some genres never change. Thank goodness.
HiT or Miss: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Horror/zombie
Runtime: 2h 2 minutes
Where to Watch: Theaters (Aug. 28)
Family Friendly? No. Adult language, graphic violence, blood and more.