Colonia

Despite having found this docudrama incredibly powerful it did concern me that there were no Chilean actors in the production. Strange really given who Colonia Dignidad affected, and who were tortured, abused, held virtual hostage etc. I was in Chile at the end of the reign of the oppressive regime of Pinochet - and felt the film lacked the sound of the Chilean dialect (of Spanish). Maybe it could have included more of the direct and authentic voice of those who suffered. Or those who lived in the region. There were so many myths about the place in the media, in the streets, within the popular culture. Pity because this was a story that was worth telling.

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.

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.

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I was holding my breath from beginning to end. This movie is so exciting from the minute it starts a real thriller with a damn good story. I enjoyed it and definitely recommend watching it. It really is worth your time and chapeau to Emma for this performance! Also it is a real eyeopener that there is so much going on in the world that we (I) am not aware of. The way they portrait it in this movie is just excellent without over doing it. The actor Daniel also is really really good his performance is magnificent. I think there should be a lot more movies with the purpose to make people aware of what is going on in this film. It is definitely not boring in the slightest way and you wont regret watching it!

I've been to the premiere at the Film Festival in Zurich and I was moved by the movie, not because of the love story, but because of the irrefutable truth. The movie left me thinking and researching about its topic: Colognia Dignidad, a cult in Santiago de Chile. It conjures many ethical questions and portrays what humanity is capable of. The movie grips and doesn't let go of you till the end. The contents is real, except for the love story that forms the golden thread. One has to imagine that the movie portrays the life and the ways of Colognia Dignidad almost like a documentary without felt exaggeration, but it is still a movie with a story. Superb acting by Emma Watson and Daniel Brühl made the movie an even more intense experience. The only criticism I can make is that the love story is average in comparison to the rest. I believe that the characters actions don't always make much sense. All in all, it's one of the best movies I've seen this year and cannot be compared with the commercial films normally shown in cinemas.