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Colonia

Play trailer 2:16 Poster for Colonia R Released Apr 15, 2016 1h 50m Mystery & Thriller History Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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29% Tomatometer 49 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A determined stewardess (Emma Watson) tries to rescue her boyfriend (Daniel Brühl) when he becomes a prisoner during a military coup in Chile in 1973.
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Colonia

Critics Reviews

View All (49) Critics Reviews
Esther Zuckerman Refinery29 The problem with the film is its lack of details. Sep 21, 2017 Full Review Kate Muir Times (UK) Watson gives a serious, determined mien to her character. Rated: 3/5 Oct 10, 2016 Full Review Wendy Ide Observer (UK) It's a glib trivialisation of one of the grimmer chapters of Chilean history. Rated: 2/5 Jul 4, 2016 Full Review Tori Brazier One Room With A View Grimly fascinating, and blessed with good star-power, the screenplay is nonetheless rather too contrived and bland in places. Rated: 3/5 Mar 25, 2021 Full Review David Walsh World Socialist Web Site The movie offers an up-close look at the torture chambers and human filth like Schäfer, who began with the Nazis and ended up a creature of the CIA. Feb 11, 2021 Full Review Alexa Dalby Dog and Wolf It's clear that Gallenberger is well-intentioned but his film trivialises what was a terrible reality. Rated: 2/5 Feb 20, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (193) audience reviews
Marco L (CASTELLANO) Hay veces que una película te deja con un sabor agridulce. Te atrapa por el tema, pero después te quedás pensando que se pudo haber hecho mucho mejor. Así me pasó con esta película. La historia de la Colonia Dignidad es desagradable, tanto por lo increible como por lo espeluznante, pero la cinta se queda a medias. Quiere ser un drama histórico/político y, de repente, se convierte en un thriller de acción, sin encajar bien en ninguno de los dos. Emma Watson y Daniel Brühl hacen lo suyo, pero el guion se ve forzado. Watson interpreta a una protagonista decidida a rescatar a su pareja, pero a veces se nota que le falta llegar a que te creas al personaje; mientras tanto, Brühl transmite la sensación de estar muy atrapado, aunque los diálogos a veces se le quedan demasiado cortos. Lo que más me molesta es que, a pesar de tratar un tema como este, el golpe de estado de Pinochet en Chile, la película no logra transmitir la verdadera gravedad de estos hechos. En lugar de entrar en el meollo de lo histórico y social, se decanta por el típico thriller con escenas de persecución que, aunque entretenidas, le quitan seriedad a todo el conjunto de la historia. Es como querer ser dos cosas y no llegar a ninguna. Eso sí, debemos reconocer que la ambientación y la fotografía están bien. Crean un clima inquietante que te hace sentir lo opresivo y aterrador de la época, pero ni eso salva la sensación de que se queda solo en la superficie. En definitiva, es una película interesante por el tema, pero en su intento por ser más comercial pierde mucha de la profundidad que podría haber tenido. No es mala, pero tampoco te marcará. (ENGLISH) Sometimes a movie leaves you with a bittersweet feeling. It draws you in with its subject matter, but then you’re left thinking it could have been done so much better. That’s exactly how I felt with this film. The story of Colonia Dignidad is disturbing—both unbelievable and horrifying—but the film falls short. It tries to be a historical/political drama and suddenly shifts into an action thriller, without fully committing to either. Emma Watson and Daniel Brühl do their part, but the script feels forced. Watson plays a determined protagonist on a mission to rescue her partner, but at times, she doesn’t quite sell the character. Meanwhile, Brühl effectively conveys a sense of entrapment, though his dialogue often feels too shallow. What bothers me the most is that, despite dealing with such a heavy topic—the Pinochet coup in Chile—the film fails to convey the true gravity of these events. Instead of diving into the historical and social core, it leans into a conventional thriller with chase scenes that, while entertaining, take away from the seriousness of the story. It tries to be two things at once and ends up succeeding at neither. That being said, the cinematography and set design are well executed. They create an eerie atmosphere that captures the oppressive and terrifying nature of the era, but even that isn’t enough to make up for how surface-level the film remains. Ultimately, it’s an interesting movie because of its subject, but in its attempt to be more commercial, it loses much of the depth it could have had. It’s not bad, but it won’t leave a lasting impression either. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/17/25 Full Review Obi-wan K Im sorry but i rate Green lantern higher Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/18/25 Full Review Audience Member Based on actual events. Captivating performance by all actors. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/04/24 Full Review Jacob B Excellent cult-like film, based on a very real place! I don't believe either of the two main protagonists are based on real characters but the antagonist Paul Shãfer, the cult leader of his pedophilic harem, certainly is, as are the horrific and unforgivable acts that he and other leaders committed inside Colonia Dignidad. Those disgusting, evil freaks would have felt right at home in Hollywood! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/23/24 Full Review NIKO L An excellent movie for those who like dramas, the 20th century, and historical movies about totalitarian regimes. The movie felt longer than it actually is, but in a good way: it hits you hard with so many different emotions, and ends up being a captivating firework that includes excitement, horror and suspense. The main characters have decent chemistry, and you immediately feel close to them. I watched this movie when I was a grumpy and daft 16yo teenager, and the fact this managed to have such a strong effect on me back then certainly says a lot. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/27/24 Full Review Астрос Very strong storytelling and very strong performance from Emma Watson. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Colonia

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Movie Info

Synopsis A determined stewardess (Emma Watson) tries to rescue her boyfriend (Daniel Brühl) when he becomes a prisoner during a military coup in Chile in 1973.
Director
Florian Gallenberger
Producer
Benjamin Herrmann
Screenwriter
Torsten Wenzel, Florian Gallenberger
Distributor
Screen Media Films
Production Co
Iris Productions
Rating
R (Some Violence/Torture|Language)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, History, Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 15, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 8, 2016
Runtime
1h 50m
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