Colonia

Set in the early 1970's amidst the political turmoil that beset Chile at the time, we meet a German political activist – Daniel played by Daniel Brühl. His girlfriend is an air hostess, this is Lena played by the wonderful Emma Watson. Then Pinochet and his army take over the democratically elected socialist Government; this was obviously with US backing. Well Daniel is soon swept up in the ruckus and taken to Colonia Dignidad. A colony run by another German called Paul Schafer; played brilliantly by Michael Nyqvist. He is a man who preaches the word of God but is one that talks the talk but does not reciprocate in the 'walking' department. Now the full extent of what went on at the real colony is still, allegedly, a matter of conjecture but I won't say anything unless you are not aware of it. However, this does seem to try to cover a lot of what occurred and it uses the relationship of the two main protagonists as the vehicle to do so. It is a thriller and it is well made but it lacks a certain something to kick it further into the 'must be seen' category. Fans of Brühl and indeed Watson will not be disappointed though as they both give great performances, but Nyqvist gets all the great lines in a pantomime baddie role that was great fun to watch (for all the right reasons). In English with some Spanish and; this is one for those who like their thrillers to be not too much of a stretch but still well believable and indeed watchable.

The film attempts to spin a thriller story inside the larger and more important history of Colonia Dignidad, a torture, rape and death place run like a religious cult by a pedophile Nazi ex-nurse preacher in collaboration with both the Chilean and German authorities. It sounds corny, yet it's true. Before and during the brutal military dictatorship of Pinochet in Chile, this guy ran the colony for 33 years, only being accused, then running away, then being caught and convicted... at 84 years old, much too late for anything. His right hand man is still living in Germany, close to his many victims that returned home, because the German constitution forbids deportation of its citizens. The movie depicts the horrors inside in typical American fashion, focusing on what restricts personal liberty and rights, but shying away from actual physical blood violence or nakedness. The scene where Schaefer enters the shower of the young boys and starts undressing for a full second was comically reminiscent of the old movies when people kissed and then there got up from the bed a scene later. Even so, the psychical and emotional torture is shown quite readily, shocking the viewer into asking: how is this even possible? Just look it up: cults sprout all over the place with millions and even billions of people happy to partake in whatever horrible fairy tale psychopaths can imagine, as long as they don't feel responsible. As a movie, though, the film fails in several directions. Many have said that the characters weren't sufficiently developed. The movie was not about the characters, but about the colony, so no, I don't agree. However many dramatic moments seemed crafted specifically for the movie, especially towards the ending. As such, I believe the biggest sin of the film was not deciding from the get go what it wanted to be. We spend the last twenty minutes of this almost two hour movie trying to develop empathy towards the characters that were neglected until then, while the epilogue is the lazy text over saying what happened - or more like not happened - to the people involved. To the question about the reality of the story, the romantic story of the two is fantasy, while the things inside the colony are likely worst than how they have been portrayed. Strangely enough, while the movie made this horror more visible, to actually find well documented articles about it has become more difficult, as many are talking about the film rather than reality. Bottom line: solid acting, horrible reality, kind of bland adaptation. A movie certainly worth seeing, but not a fun one at all. To be recommended at least for making this visible to large audiences.

Inspired by true events, Colonia is a Hollywood-style thriller about a couple who finds themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time- the torture prison of a religious cult under the influence of the Chilean secret police in 1974. At a time when Chilean youth began revolutionizing in the streets, one man's involvement with the movement along with his girlfriend's association in his anti-government views causes the couple to put their relationship and love for each other to the test. Directed by Academy Award winner Florian Gallenberger (Shadows of War), Colonia opens in theaters Friday, April 15th. Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" accompanies archival footage of protesters rioting in the streets while the film itself is saturated in prime colors- magenta and royal blue. This juxtaposition of violence and R&B gives an artistic edge to the film's opening scenes, but unfortunately, this visual isn't sustained throughout the film. We meet our protagonist Daniel (Daniel Brühl), up on stage pumping up the masses of people, when, out of nowhere, he spots a bright yellow flight attendant's outfit (like a ray of Mr. Withers' sunshine) from the muted colors of the crowd. The woman is Lena (Emma Watson) and they immediately embrace. Their relationship isn't made entirely clear, but she only has four days in town and they plan on spending it together. While enjoying their time together, Daniel receives a phone call that shifts the political tide and changes everything. This results in chaos erupting in the streets, leading to their capture by the Chilean soldiers. Daniel gets abducted and taken to a hidden cult in a rural area called Colonia Dignidad, run by ex-Nazi Paul Schäfer (Michael Nyqvist). Left with no other choice, Lena willfully joins the Colonia as a desperate, last-ditch effort to find her boyfriend, risking her own life to bring him home as she discovers that those who enter the cult never leave. Emma Watson and Daniel Brühl play Lena and Daniel with an innocence about them that has you rooting for their success. Watson is unquestionably beautiful and smart, her outspokenness gets her into trouble. Brühl takes a more unconventional risk with his character by playing the role of a mentally challenged person in an effort to trick his captors into thinking he is not a threat. Watson and Brühl are crucial to the film's success, but individually speaking, these roles won't likely result in a significant boost to their careers. Colonia can't escape the comparisons to Eli Roth's The Sacrament or the documentary Kidnapped for Christ (if you haven't seen it, it's available to stream on Netflix, and is a MUST- watch), which may hurt Colonia's overall success because it is not as riveting by comparison. Audiences know what they are getting with an Eli Roth film, and a documentary has its own sense of wonderment, but Colonia tends to jump from the political thriller to love story to religious brainwashing in a patchwork way that feels a bit all over the place, and it is this "clumpy" genre blending that may be the film's weakest point. Plus, Daniel and Lena's relationship is never fully established in the beginning of the film, so we are left to wonder why she would risk her life to save this person. At its core, Colonia is an interesting story, but not a very memorable film. It doesn't provide enough tension to overshadow The Sacrament, nor does it have the foundation to be a solid romance. The fact that it is based on a true story is what keeps the film afloat and the inclusion the smuggled archival photos of the real Colonia Dignidad at the end is a much-needed gem. Yet, even with cinema-savvy actors Emma Watson and Daniel Brühl, Colonia can't quite seem to gain the traction needed to be a standout film. For more, visit: www.cinemacy.com

Yes, somehow "Refreshing" seems to be the wrong word as a summary for such a movie. But, after a day in (my) work - after trying to convince other people at my working place for years to live a more solidarity, more human way with colleagues, by trying that, showing over years a good role model by myself. And yesterday, going out of the working place with the knowledge that nothing has helped - my colleagues still only interested in their own careers, without any empathy for the weak. Nothing can be changed in peoples hearts and minds after they have grown out of their childhood. And then, living in Europe, and recognizing that all politics - from left to right - get's sick and more xenophobic from day to day with the refugee-crisis fueled by inhuman politics... Yes, then such a movie is terrible refreshing. Here a writer, a director, a camera man, a cast prove that at least they care. If I would have a daughter like Emma Watson or a son like Daniel Bruhl I would be immensely proud. Yes it is acting. But, never-the-less you can see and feel - both of them care. It is highly sensible acting. A political statement in itself. Very glad, that my day ended with that relief. There are still some people out there, who care. Thanks, for that great movie. Thanks, for hope.

When the post-script information presented before the end credits, telling of the true facts and showing actual photos of the real events of Colonia is for more emotionally affecting and interesting than the film that preceded it- you know you're in trouble. In fact I had completely forgotten I had even watched this film until I came across it on a random film list. Colonia reeks of Hollywood phoniness, especially an overlong and rather unnecessary chase sequence near the end that has no other purpose than to make the film long enough to count as a feature length film. Emma Watson can be a solid actress (see Perks of Being a Wallflower or The Bling Ring) but her performance is nothing more than adequate, and rather forgettable. Daniel Bruhl is solid enough, but it's obvious that both these actors are straining to bring depth and conviction to a flimsy screenplay. Michael Nyquist, however, is certainly chilling and downright loathsome, but even he is nothing more than a one-note villain. It's also a bad sign when there's a sense the director felt the only way to hold the audience's attention is through endless depictions of abuse and horrific implications of child sex abuse, only to cheapen it when throwing in typical thriller tropes for cheap, ineffective, suspense sequences. It makes the treatment of the true story seem exploitative and disrespectful to the actual victims who had to live through this atrocity. Colonia feels like a poorly written blurb you'd find in a history book in high school, and the bull shitted 5 page essay one would write just to get a passing grade. Since I had never seen heard of this true story, I was shocked to see how recent certain aspects of it was. But I'd highly suggest skipping this entirely, and looking into documentaries or online research, as this silly and absolutely forgettable depiction of true events should be skipped.

This film tells the story of two German citizens who are in Chile under Pinochet dictatorship. They get locked up in a camp of a religious sect, and get mistreated, abused and tortured. The story is super engaging, keeping me glued to the screen from start to finish! I applaud Lena's courage to go into the camp just to see her boyfriend, though it can also be argued that it is the silliest thing to do. It shows that love is blind, and rational decision is clouded by love. The conditions in the camp is horrible, made worse by the wicked headmaster who wrongly uses religion to control and abuse people. There is one scene that vaguely suggests sexual abuse, but it is so vague that I had doubts until the words appear at the end of the film. The ending is super intense. I find myself grabbing onto my chair, leaning forward and simply hoping that things will work out. The desperation of the characters transmit through the screen to me, and I just hope so sincerely that they will make it. I didn't expect such an intense adventure. I enjoyed watching 'Colonial" thoroughly.

hmm

Colonia

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Colonia