The Colony (2013)

Elevator Pitch: In a future ice age a limited number of survivors are living in a few underground facilities. When an emergency signal is received from Colony 5, Briggs the leader in Colony 7 decides that he and two volunteers will trek across the snowy landscape to find out what has happened. To do this he has to leave the colony in charge of Mason, a man who has proved to be unreasonably blood thirsty in his action to limit the spread of a flu virus. When they get to Colony 5 they find that the population have been slaughtered by a gang of feral zombie –like cannibals, and so must escape. Only one of the trio make it back to Colony 7 to find that Mason does not believe him. But the delay in defence results in the Colony being unprepared for a diabolical attack.

Content: There is no sex or nudity, or drug taking, smoking or drinking. The trio of rescuers are seen out in the snow and there is a scene when they cross a dilapidated bridge, to feature again when they are running away being chased by the cannibals, and one man sacrifices himself by blowing up the bridge, himself and many cannibals. Much time spent in semi-darkness in the colonies because everyone lives underground. There is a lot of blood and some gore, with one extremely unpleasant scene.

A View: The few critics who reviewed this mostly did not like it because of its well trodden dramatic tracks, and what they have seen as poor CGI. But actually I quite liked the CGI – small figures in a landscape – and did not mind the plot even though it is pretty familiar. It is an unashamed B movie and honestly I have seen a lot worse. You might choose to have it on while doing something else but don’t spend money on it.

Additional Info:  Its estimated production budget it about $16 million of which it has apparently made less than $1 million back.