MovieChat Forums > The Colony (2013) Discussion > All the problems with this movie!

All the problems with this movie!

posted 11 years ago by Natsu21
101 replies | jump to latest

First off there will be spoilers.

Where to start. For starters they aren't fearing the common cold like the voice over said, it's actually the flu. Also what's the point of quarantining someone if you are going to put more than one person in a room, won't they just keep giving each other the flu?

Problem 2. Briggs knows Mason is going to be a problem yet he decides to leave? Thus giving Mason the chance he needs to take control.

Problem 3. How did the cannibals follow Briggs and Sam? You're expecting me to believe in a place that is snowing literally 24/7, their tracks didn't get completely covered up in the first minute?

Problem 4. Why did Briggs feel the need to sacrifice himself? Why didn't he just pick up the dynamite light it again and start running and then throw it back?

Problem 5. When they are back at there bunker why didn't they find a better place to defend from, one where you know they couldn't be attacked from all sides. Mason is suppose to have some military background since he served with Briggs. He should have known the best spot to defend from. They had plenty of ammo and weapons they could have given as many people as possible guns and anyone else knives and whatever. All these cannibals had were knives and their hands, they should have easily been able to mow down the cannibals and kick there butts.

Problem 5. How long do they think they will last with next to no supplies, when they are leaving to go to the thaw?

There are many more problems I noticed but I can't be bothered listing anymore.
Overall there were a lot of problems in this movie that could easily have been fixed. This is a clear cut case of very lazy writing, I know it's just some low budget movie but still doesn't excuse the problems this movie had.

[–] ryanmkincaid 11 years ago

LOL, yeah, I pretty much feel the same way. I will say that I didn't really have an issue until the cannibals show up at the station. Yea I had much the same issues that you shared before they showed up, but I have learned to be forgiving as I've seen many terrible films. But just with the ease that the colony gets overran by the cannibals just had me slapping my head.

Also what was the point in having the one guy escape into the barren and survive being shot like his wife by Bill Paxson character when the main guy returns to the colony? It was almost like a set up for something to happen later only to never delivered upon.

I too have issues that I want to talk about but can't bother to type them out.

Suffice it to say this was $16 mil wasted. They should have filmed in Detroit and help stop them from going bankrupt.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Yeah I went into this film not expecting much. But still it just seemed like they had so much happening they couldn't keep track of it, first off the had the weather, then the whole if your sick you gotta die, then Paxtons characters crap they were dealing with, then the trying to find a place that wasn't covered in ice and snow, then you had the cannibals, it's lie jesus christ people make up your mind which story you want to go with and run with it. Then as you said they seemed to suggest other potential story plots with some of the actions they did, but then they never delivered upon it. It's like they got half way through an idea and then abandoned it.

Everything about this movie just failed.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

It's amazing that now you're is going to whine that the script was too complex. Most quality movies have many subplots but I suppose that's too much for your brain.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Go troll somewhere else. Also don't try and say your not because anyone who actually has anything smart to say doesn't insult people. Nice try though.

[–] ixusillwrath 11 years ago

They should have filmed in Detroit

Then the trivia would have to say "First film shot in post-apocalypse Detroit".

[–] coolmacpaul 11 years ago

the guy who got away got beheaded by the zomcannibals... lol they even showed it on the CCTV

[–] ryanmkincaid 11 years ago

Oh shoot that was him? Why did I think it was the young guy that was part of the search team? I think it was the cut away to his father. That went over my head. Bad editing there. Thanks for pointing that out.

Still, doesn't take away from the problematic third act. Also I still don't buy how easy it was for the cannibals to climb out of a half destroyed bunker and cross a blown up bridge and still make it to the colony in what seemed like a few hours behind the main character.

[–] EndeAbgrunds 11 years ago

Studios will advertise a higher film budget, than it actually had.. I'd be surprised if this movie had a 5mil budget.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

Well I wouldn't imagine that Laurence Fishburne comes cheap. I know Paxton doesn't demand A-list salaries but I'm sure he wasn't paid in bird seed. The effects were pretty impressive and they're not cheap either.

[–] ChefC 11 years ago

Also what was the point in having the one guy escape into the barren and survive being shot like his wife by Bill Paxson character when the main guy returns to the colony? It was almost like a set up for something to happen later only to never delivered upon.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] HajiAltair 11 years ago

2 doesn't bother me much.

3 and 5, the cannibals seem to be excellent at tracking and attacking camps. 20 years, or whatever it is, hunting others perhaps makes them some kind of experts. Hence why Mason gets taken by surprise.

4, I don't think anyone could have outrun that explosion, plus throwing it might extinguish the fuse. Someone had to stay back.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

They never use guns and only knives, blunt weapons and their hands. Yet they somehow are able to over power places with more firepower and more people than they have. I admit the fear factor would give them a slight edge but that's about it. Also it would be impossible to track them through the snow because it is literally snowing all the time, any tracks would have been covered up in minutes if not seconds. Yet this movie thanks to lazy writing decided to make it tracks don't get covered up when it snows.

It's a movie they always outrun explosions in movies lol. It just seemed like a pointless sacrifice.

[–] ryanmkincaid 11 years ago

I have to agree with Natsu on all his points. I mean if the producers are expecting us to suspend belief, why put us in a situation where Larry Fishburne offs himself pointlessly.

It's not even like they seemed to run out of ammo, the colony members just stand there. It's like they ran out of extras here. If they had given us waves of cannibals, I could understand why the colony gets overrun, but even before the bridge is taken out, the star points out that it's only 20 cannibals chasing them. Say 10 buy the farm on the bridge explosion, I don't see why Bill Paxson, with his already established previous military training, couldn't take out these guys himself.

Watching WWZ, you get the sense of overwhelming odds. If The colony is an indication of post apocalyptic world, I'm more fearful of the cold weather and the shortage of food over anything else.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Exactly. Also even if all 20 survived the bridge the odds should have still been well in the favour of the colony. They had the superior fire power and the home ground advantage. This really does fall down to very lazy writing. Also at the end when Sam is fighting that cannibal they have Sam bash is head in yet the Cannibal still grabs Sam and Sam ends up cutting his head off. Hell the first 2 whacks Sam gave that guy to the head should have been enough to knock him out, the rest of the hits would have pulverized the guys skull. Why make him bash the cannibals head that much if you are just going to have it do exactly nothing? It's just poor writing.

[–] joekill162 11 years ago

All the problems with this movie!

In the future a super flu takes over, even though it seems, to looks just like the common cold.

Covering your nose and mouth, does not prevent you from getting the flu, they way most people get the flu is through objects that other infected people with barley any symptoms already touch, then as soon as you touch your face or eyes your infected, most people never pay attention to how many time they touch their face everyday, and things that could be infected with the flu, we touch doorknob, keyboard money, pen, table, food, paper and then our face and rub our eyes, this is why doctors always say that this is no cure for the common cold.

Briggs talking about rationing food, when it looks like he eats more than his own body weight.

Were are they getting their power from, to grow their fruits they would have to have power running 24/7 Were, what type of power source that could exist, if the entire world is frozen over.

Can they just grow medicine that can kill or put someone to sleep that kills them, it seems like its a waste of bullets to keep killing people, when bullets aren't being made anymore.

Human Cannibals in the future are better trackers than wolves, this would of made more sense if the Cannibals evolve into something in the movie, not look like humans with rabies, because we all know how well people with rabies can make good trackers.

Colony 5 must be run by a bunch of morons, because they gotten taken over, even though their was only one way into their colony and the people at the bottom of their colony have the full advantage if they were going be invaded.

How exactly does dynamite and its fuzes work after 20-30 years after production has stop.

Did you see how many bullets the girl with the dreads fired in her gun I counted like 30 rounds

The ending what a big freaking surprise that the warm sanctuary is only about 10 miles away, and not all the way, on the other side of the earth, and they had no supplies or enough warm clothes to make it that far, so the ending speech sounds like their going to try and make a sequel.

What the, I thought that Kevin Zegers was Arron Paul from breaking bad or justin Chatwin from shameless.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

The flu is transmitted from peoples mouths and into the air so the masks would help a bit for that. But it's exactly like you said that doesn't stop it from spreading from things sick people have touched. It's obvious the hygiene and cleanliness isn't exactly top of there list in the colony. Also from reading up about flus, one of the causes from getting the flu is actually inhaling and being around bird poop. So pretty much those chickens they have were probs what started the initial outbreak. Also does it seem smart to anyone else they would lock more than one person up in quarintine? why don't they have seperate places for them? wouldn't they just keep giving each other the flu thus preventing themselves from ever getting better.

If the Cannibals had been like some form of mutants or some crap like that, then yeah I could understand the tracking. But all they were are normal humans who had gone feral.

I hope they don't make a sequal this movie was just horrible.

[–] jasace50 11 years ago

They get their power from a wind generator on the surface, it's shown in an early scene.

When the bridge explodes their are only 10 'zom-cannibals' left by my count yet at least 10 are killed during the invasion before the gas cylinder explodes. I can't see how they survived chasing the heroes through the snow at night given that sheltering in the helicopter was such a necessity. I doubt given the snowstorm the tracks would still be their either.

Lots of holes in the story, but I still enjoyed it overall. The timing seems a bit off...the i mediate complication of the plot takes only a few minutes to resolve. The flu is kinda just filler fluff too....doesn't really add much to the story except pads it out to 90 minutes.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

@jasace50 Wish you'd stop implying they're zombies. Seems you have no idea what zombies are. If they exhibit zombie-like traits, then there's no reason to call them zom-cannibals, because zombies are cannibals save for the fact that they're dead. Zombies don't use weapons, they don't use meat cleavers to chop up their meals and they don't show signs of intelligence(I disregard that point in Land Of The Dead) Zombies also don't have shark-like teeth. Zombies are simply decaying humans that have been reanimated and think human flesh looks really tasty. The flu is the device that allows us to know that Mason is rogue.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

Barley's an ingredient in beer and "where" has an (H) in it.

Oh really? They couldn't make it 10 miles?

Yea because Kevin Zegers looks so much like Aaron Paul. Good point

He looks nothing like Aaron Paul and if you're unfamiliar with Kevin Zegers he vaguely resembles Justin Chatwin

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] bigBang8 11 years ago

All those reasons why i gave this movie only 9 out of 10. If u choose to ignore all that it's pretty awesome, It has Morpheus in it.

[–] joekill162 11 years ago

Wind turbines won't work in cold weather, and even if they did, the freezing 0 degree 24/7 temperature would still destroy them and they would require massive amount of tools and maintenance maybe they had the tools but they would run out of parts and equipment.

[–] porkchop-sammich 11 years ago

Wind turbines won't work in cold weather, and even if they did, the freezing 0 degree 24/7 temperature would still destroy them and they would require massive amount of tools and maintenance maybe they had the tools but they would run out of parts and equipment.

Tell that to the people that live in Northern Canada or Alaska or in arctic regions.

If you didn't like the movie you didn't like it, but there is no need to make up lies about things to justify your dislike of it. That is what I hate about these board, people making up crap to justify their dislike of a movie or T.V show.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

@Natsu21 and @joekill162, It's time you both show you credentials in the form of college degrees. You both know so much about all these technical variables, I can't respect your opinions until I know your not just talking out your asses.

[–] wickedobvious 9 years ago

Wind turbines won't work in cold weather

Yes they do. We have them in my town in New England, and they work just fine all winter. 15°F and snowing right now.

[–] nuorigin 11 years ago

Morpheus and Hudaon!

[–] rac19141 11 years ago

Hudson.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

That's why we have had plenty of other "realistic" semi end of the world movies, that A. are more realistic or B. Not realistic but still make sense. Also I have seen plenty of other movies like this that were fun. This movie isn't find, it's a B grade mess with lazy writing that failed in every aspect.

Also by being insulting it just proves how much you fail as well.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Well since this is my first time commenting on something sci-fi I wouldn't know.

Also I didn't say you insulted the movie, I said being insulting just proves how much you fail.

Also go troll somewhere else.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

When you say "it fails in every aspect" it shows how much you love exaggerating because if nothing else, the setting was rendered flawlessly. If it was a "B" movie you'd have had some horrible visuals and effects.

[–] winzentween 11 years ago

The problem with this film is sadly everything and I mean that the writer / director 2 for one deal sucked and ripped of everyone else including the backers and failed to deliver on every level though the actors did do the best with what little they had....bare bones bare bones indeed. This film could have easily been good or even excellent as films like The Thing cost relatively nothing and even by todays budget it cost a lot less that 16 mill...so much money to end up with this.

“What we have here is a failure to communicate”, Captain

[–] abark 11 years ago

"if you are going to put more than one person in a room, won't they just keep giving each other the flu?"

No. Once you have had and beaten the flu your body has created antibodies that prevent you from getting it again. You can get different strains of influenza but not the same one. Even that is unlikely though.

This is of course the principle behind the flu shot.

Since both people would have the same strand of virus they would not reinfect each other.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Ahk makes sense then.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

Thank you for bringing intelligence into this thread.

[–] jason-594 11 years ago

I can understand adding cannibals to a post-apocalypse film (like The Road) but you got to do it half ass realistic. Trying to suggest over a span of a century (or however long its been) humans have evolved with vampire like teeth, zombie like "guuuuuuuuhhh" sound effects and super charged speed is beyond stupid.

There are too many problems to list but this one just takes the cake.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Well the weather machines are built by 2045. I think maybe the movie is set in the same year or only maybe 10 to 20 years after that. So it's even less than a century it's only been a couple decades max. So yeah it is pretty stupid I agree.

[–] abark 11 years ago

We don't know how old he is now but the main character was a child when he was found in the frost and is of some adult age now so at 15 years or so.

[–] abark 11 years ago

The movie suggested no such thing. The teeth were obviously sharpened and someone was even clearly shown doing so in the movie.

Super charged speed? Where? When? I never saw anything beyond even anything you might see in a basketball game.

[–] jason-594 11 years ago

I guess I didn't see someone sharpening their teeth. Their speed seemed like they had the zombie rage virus from 28 Days Later, mostly camera tricks like but quick head movements left right and running like monkeys.

[–] abark 11 years ago

It's one of the first shots when the protagonists find the cannibals. One of them is leaning against a pillar or something while filing his teeth.

[–] m.p. 10 years ago

I agree completely. They were made to appear as having super-human strength and abilities. They may have been eating (human) meat, but they would have been deprived of other minerals and vitamins from not having fruits and veggies. Lack of vitamin C and D would have led to many other health issues. The leader especially was made to appear impervious to just about anything thrown at him. I just don't see how they could have been galloping through the frozen landscape like bison on the prairies.

[–] huldu 11 years ago

You watch this kind of movie once and you don't question it because... it's just that kind of movie. Everything is just wrong with it but it wasn't boring so that's always good. It could have been a lot better but with a $16m budget and a few names they did fairly well I guess.

Personally I would have preferred something a bit more interesting than feral humans.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Yeah it had the potential to be a good movie. But it just failed, they tried to fit to much in and many other problems.

[–] John_Dee_007 11 years ago

Yeah it had the potential to be a good movie. But it just failed, they tried to fit to much in and many other problems.

Says the guy who's been an IMDb member for 5 months and 3 weeks.

For the budget, it is a good movie. And what do you mean, "they tried to fit too much in"? Actually, don't answer that, because it's clear you have no idea what you're talking about. The plot to this film is about as straight forward as it gets:

Opening narration for brief backstory
Limited characters
Efficient character development
No plot diversions
And just enough love story to tie the audience to the film's protagonist. A typical but necessary plot device. Very economical. If this film was a car it would be a F-ing hybrid. And as cheesy as some scenes are, at no point in the film does the suspension of disbelief (look it up) exceed acceptable parameters for a film in this genre.

Allow me to refer you to a previous quote of yours:

Well since this is my first time commenting on something sci-fi I wouldn't know.

And that's your problem, there's not a lot you do know. I already dismissed your OP as baby talk, but that quote basically makes your argument invalid. Natsu21, is that your age? 21? Because it shows. I read this whole thread and the only poster with any logic and rationale is abark. Appreciate the fact that IMDb is open to everyone, which means people like you, who haven't the first clue about the cardinal rules of film making, and the complexities involved in creating, developing and producing a motion picture with serious budget restraints. This film has its flaws and it's certainly nothing spectacular, but it's perfectly watchable if you can't be bothered getting off the couch. There are far worse films out there with 10 times the budget. Go and watch more horror/sci-fi B-movies, and maybe next time you won't shoot yourself in the foot.

EDSKRPHW

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

I have already dismissed this post for what it is too, a sad troll with nothing better to do, than try and fail to insult someone for sharing their own opinion about a movie.

But to put your mind at ease, I may have only joined up 5 months ago but I have been very into movies since I was quite young. As such I know when a movie is bad and has fallen victim not to a low budget, but to lazy writing. Also since quite a few people seem to have come and agreed with me, all of them having been on here longer than you it would seem I know what I'm talking about, wish I could say the same for you.

Also with regards to watching B grade sci fi movies. I have actually watched a lot, me and a friend quite often get B grade movies to watch because we know they will be bad yet also entertaining sometimes.

So please next time you want to troll someone, maybe just maybe think before you speak, you know so you don't shoot yourself in the foot. :)

[–] John_Dee_007 11 years ago

*sigh*

I miss the days when people actually knew the meaning of 'trolling', and what a 'troll' actually is, and thus used it correctly. Trolls were even proud of being trolls because we called them such. These days it's used it to generalize anyone who vaguely disagrees with you, regardless of whether they have something coherent and worthy to consider. A throwaway term and an overused buzz word. It's like calling every single person who's ever committed a crime a "murderer". It's hugely inaccurate. A look at my posting history would suggest I'm the furthest thing from an actual troll, merely someone who's opinionated. And since most people are idiots, using them as stats to prove your validity means F all.

EDSKRPHW

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

See I find most trolls are exactly like you though. A person who tries to belittle another with hidden or straight out insults. As such just because you may have put in a lot of time on forums doesn't make you innocent of not being a troll. You prove this by calling most people idiots. Insulting people you don't even know is one of the truest forms of idiocy.

See you are trying to sound like you're this knowledgeable movie person. Yet all you have done here is point out my limited time being a member on here and try and focus on my supposed young age of 21 just because I put 21 in my name on here. Both of those remarks are of course quite silly to do since for all you could know I might be a film student in my last year of study before I get my degree, or I could have been on here before for many years but made a new account for any various reasons. As to my age well I'm not 21, I just like the number.

Also there is a difference between being "opinionated" and being someone who just thinks they are a know it all, and should someone else opinion be different to yours, that makes them instantly wrong. See I can always see the points a person puts across when they disagree with me, I even saw your points, but when someone then proceeds to be insulting or condescending for no reason other than it makes the feel better about themselves. Well I don't even bother trying to have a nice little debate with them because there is no point, they will just keep flinging insults like monkeys fling poo, because they can't stand the idea of someone disagreeing with them because they of course know better. So have a nice day :)

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

@Narsu21 That's not what a troll is though you imbecile! A troll is someone who cares not about the subject at hand but only about wreaking discord.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

That is one aspect of a troll. Another one is when people are just being insulting. Nearly all your posts on here have you just calling peoples names, as such you are a troll.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

@John_Dee_007... I'm quickly becoming a fan Haha

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

You use "fail" so much it must be your (frustration fall back word) Oh, you alternate that with troll. Anyone who reveals your ignorance, you call a troll. John_Dee_007 is obviously not a troll you noob and he displays far more knowledge about film making than you. I mean that's so obvious I shouldn't even point it out. It doesn't mean a thing that you have a choir of like-minded people since they read the title of this(your) thread and thought "here's an idiot I can agree with"

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Nope I just call trolls trolls. People who are being insulting are just trolls. Nice try though.

[–] im_in 11 years ago

Pls.... stop the ad hominem right from the get go --- with that sort of talk you have no right to question anybodies age.

And you dismissed the OP? he might have gotten some of it wrong but most of it was right. The movie is riddled with idiocies from start to finish -- choices taken make absolutely no sense in many occasions throughout the movie. It is watchable --- but most movies are 'watchable'.

Suspension of disbelief only goes so far -- you have to make the characters believable, the story can have many nonsensical ideas if they are tied in well. Here the overall story (the broader story) makes more sense than what the characters are doing or what happens as a result of their actions.

"cardinal rules of film making, and the complexities involved in creating, developing and producing a motion picture with serious budget restraints." --- NONE of these have got anything to do with what the OP or Natsu21 are talking about. None of these have got anything to do with the directors choices that create ridiculous situations -- the defense at the end; ridiculous - the end fight; that head should be paste but the guy gets up - no mention of him being anything other than a normal human being throughout the story if there were you'd have your suspension of disbelief; without it, it's just badly done). Those are just two examples just cause simply don't care enough to correct you and put more in.

I've seen worse movies, that's for sure, but to defend the movie on the merits that are criticized in this thread is just funny. On of the movies when the entire movie you can't get into it cause it makes the characters look too stupid to achieve anything other than piss you off.

[–] Natsu21 11 years ago

Thanks, glad someone could put that guy in his place.

[–] menneskekoed 11 years ago

I just gotta chip in here.

So you're the know-it-all of IMDB eh? In reality you're just a movie snob who believe your opinion weighs more because you've seen more *beep* movies than the rest in here. And don't use his age to boost your point, it proves nothing.

The fact that this is low budget doesn't save the problems it has (this already happens in the writing phase).

The movie had a good enough budget for this kind of film but the storytelling ruined it.

[–] Thought_Criminal_J62377 11 years ago

@John_Dee_007, Wow, you summed it all up and I'm so grateful. Finally the voice of reason