On DVD and BLU RAY - "The Colony" - This Direct-To-Video Sci-Fi/Horror Actioner starring Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Kevin Zegers (Dawn Of The Dead 2004) and Bill Paxton (Aliens) is harmless enough, though most will probably forget about it mere minutes after watching. It's 2045 and the dawn of a new ice age as what's left of Earth's survivors have assembled in sparse outposts- this particular tale concerns one such outpost and it's dwindling numbers as a few of it's party decide to investigate a distress signal emanating from a similar compound some distance away. Shot at the decommissioned NORAD base in North Bay, Ontario, the set pieces, production values and cinematography are all pretty damned impressive- too bad the script, particularly a very weak third act, is so painfully undercooked.
Fishburne is wasted as the compound's righteous leader, Paxton is a stereotypical antagonist looking to wrestle control from him and enforce his iron will, while Zegers might be cast because the studio couldn't sign lookalike Zac Efron. The film's main antagonistic dilemma, a horde of bloodthirsty cannibals, is a letdown, as well. It's brooding and atmospheric, with a few action scenes and a couple of gory moments- though it falls well short of compelling Sci-Fi/Horror. I was hoping for something along the lines of John Carpenter's The Thing but found something much closer to John Carpenter's Ghost of Mars...
5.5 out of 10
Director: Jeff Renfroe
Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton, Kevin Zegers and Charlotte Sullivan
Running Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: Unrated (the equivalent of an R for violence, gore and language)
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