South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho, known for the 2016 hit “Train to Busan,” returns with a new take on the zombie genre in his latest film, "Colony." The film, now showing in theaters, offers a tense, blood-soaked narrative set against the backdrop of a sudden outbreak woven through a high-rise biotechnology facility in Seoul.
The story begins at a biotechnology conference where Professor Kwon Se-jeong, portrayed by Jun Ji-hyun, hopes to secure a job opportunity. Instead, an aggrieved scientist named Seo Young-chul, played by Koo Kyo-hwan, injects the company’s CEO Kang Woo-chu (Kim Jong-tae) with a bioengineered virus. This leads the CEO to transform into a predatory infected, rapidly spreading the contagion throughout the sealed-off building. Survivors, including Kwon and security guard Choi Hyun-seok (Ji Chang-wook), band together in a desperate bid for survival as the infected quickly adapt to the vertical environment of the skyscraper.
Distinct from traditional zombies, the infected in "Colony" exhibit a networked intelligence and agility, with movements characterized by sudden leaps, scrambles, and eerie stillness. This biomechanical aggression introduces a fresh dynamic to the outbreak, amplifying the tension amid the claustrophobic and surveilled setting. The infected’s hive-like behavior adds a layer of complexity, blurring the line between classic undead motifs and a spreading viral epidemic.
Critics note that while the film embraces the familiar tropes of disaster response and containment, highlighting strategic dilemmas faced by survivors and external authorities, it occasionally gets bogged down by procedural scenes debating next steps. Nevertheless, the portrayal of interpersonal dynamics, particularly through Professor Kwon’s leadership, provides an emotional anchor amid the chaos. The film also explores themes of sacrifice, fear, and cynicism as characters navigate a rapidly evolving crisis.
Koo Kyo-hwan’s portrayal of the embittered scientist lends the story a compelling antagonist figure—a mix of a “mad scientist” and a wronged tech expert—which adds depth beyond the usual infected threat. The film’s choreography, involving dancers embodying the infected, brings both a grotesque intensity and unsettling grace to the visual storytelling.
Running two hours and two minutes, "Colony" is rated R for bloody violence and some language, presented in Korean with subtitles. It follows Yeon Sang-ho’s continuing exploration of human resilience and societal breakdown in the face of apocalyptic scenarios, maintaining a strong focus on action and psychological tension within a contained, vertical playground.