Directed by:
Florian GallenbergerCinematography:
Kolja BrandtCast:
Emma Watson, Daniel Brühl, Michael Nyqvist, Richenda Carey, Vicky Krieps, Jeanne Werner, Julian Ovenden, Martin Wuttke, August Zirner, Nicolás Barsoff (more)Plots(1)
A young woman's desperate search for her abducted boyfriend that draws her into the infamous Colonia Dignidad, a sect nobody ever escaped from. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (11)
Colonia has a somewhat slower start, in which we get acquainted with the characters and the inhospitable setting of Colonia Dignidad, while the second half is already more action-packed, and in the last twenty minutes I was squirming in the cinema, waiting anxiously to see how it would all turn out. Some of the colony scenes were really raw to the point of being uncomfortable to watch at times. It's almost unbelievable how out of control a system based on the thoughts of a fanatical madman can get. In short, a solid drama that gains more power and impact the moment you realize it's based on real events.
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It isn’t always necessary, but in the case of this movie, I strongly recommend reading the entire summary and taking in every word of it first, so that you know what you are getting into. It will help a lot with the movie itself, which just puts the viewer into the middle of the action, and they don’t have time to find their feet. It puts you into the middle of the action so uncompromisingly that the only thing you can focus on is Daniel Brühl and Emma Watson. Well, and they showed how important members of European cinema they are, because I was completely blown away by their characters. But the whole movie isn’t only about their characters, it is mainly about the whole story, which you probably wouldn’t believe actually happened in the 1970s in Chile. But, as they say, anything is possible on our planet and so I watched with horror the lawlessness our world had to witness. What is funny is the fact that even though the world knew about it, nobody really fought against it. Again, the rule saying anything that happens in a particular state stays in the particular state applies. After a long time a very high-quality European movie that stretches out of the borders of Europe with its story and also actors. Even Michael Nyqvist had fun with his character… You still don’t find it strange that the Germans are behind a story like this, again?
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If I were to approach Colonia as a so-called serious film that tries to analyze the political situation in Chile after Pinochet's coup and also examines the functioning of closed religious communities, I would have to unconditionally give it a negative rating, and quite radically. Fortunately, being well-informed, I have always perceived Colonia as an adventurous thriller with a strong romantic subplot that perceives the political situation after the military coup only as a backdrop for its storytelling. Within the genre, it is certainly above average. The film is well cast, especially Michael Nyqvist as the sect leader, who acts appropriately corrupted and demonic. He truly relishes the role. Of course, weaknesses and flaws can be found in the screenplay, especially in the last ten minutes when Colonia imitates the finale of Argo, which comes across rather comically. While in Argo, you felt like the Ayatollahs were breathing down your neck, while here the ending seems somewhat naive. However, the main thing is that, practically throughout the film, it maintains its pace and tension in line with what it wants to be. It simply entertains. I thus have no reason to give it less than 4 stars and a 75% overall impression.
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I was looking forward to this film, but I’m disappointed. Daniel Brühl was excellent as usual, but this time he was overshadowed by the main villain played by Michael Nyqvist. The role obviously agreed with him. My disappointment stems mainly from the fact that it is difficult to create an atmosphere of terror when you have to rely on mere hints. I'm not saying that I need to see splashes of blood on the screen all the time, but Colonia felt a bit like a porn movie with a bunch of people sitting around a table discussing sex. It could have been a good film if it hadn't been for the wasted potential and the resulting lackluster atmosphere.
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A story built on strong themes that we have all seen a thousand times before elsewhere, and often far more evocatively delivered. The narrative is cohesive and builds up satisfyingly, depressingly reflecting the oppressive atmosphere of its tyrannical setting, with the casting of the disgustingly accomplished villain Nyqvist being a definite hit. Unfortunately, it lacks the aforementioned suggestion, which is, with a few exceptions, represented by cheap, visual and plot clichés for the masses, and the fluffy ending, although it pulls you in by evoking warm empathy for the fate of the main characters, turns out exactly the way the you’d expect. The horrific story of Dignidad deserves a slightly more distinctive and gritty treatment, although I acknowledge the effort to make such untold events as widely available as possible. 70%
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Gallery (198)
Photo © Majestic Filmproduktion
![Colonia - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/160/481/160481925_b45b21.jpg)
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