Simply A Masterpiece

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Was looking forward to seeing this, but the immediate use of the handy cam or "shaky cam" got me too annoyed and distracted to really get into it. Had to turn it off after 10 minutes.. Did get me interested in the subject though.

A young woman's desperate search for her abducted boyfriend that draws her into the infamous Colonia Dignidad, a sect nobody has ever escaped from. I never knew anything about this story until i saw Colonia starring Emma Watson, Michael Nyqvist and Daniel Bruhl and i gotta say although the film started a bit strange and it was slowly paced the 3rd act really made the film way better for me and although you might not get the whole plot very serious like i did at first once you see the end credits you will understand more about it and how this whole thing worked but overall great acting by the 3 leading stars, suspense and a story that more people need to know more about (7.5/10)

When I saw the trailer for "Colonia" it looked like an absorbing film not just for the unusual subject, but because it had Emma Watson in what seemed like a fascinating role.However, before I saw it, I was aware of the negative publicity including reports that it made less than $100 when it opened in England. Now that I have seen it, my enthusiasm has tempered a little, but I still think it has a lot going for it.In 1973, German Lufthansa stewardess Lena (Emma Watson) joins Colonia Dignidad, a secret commune in Chile, to rescue her activist boyfriend Daniel (Daniel Brühl) who has been imprisoned and tortured by the secret police. The commune is run by German Paul Schäfer in a brutal fashion, and as Lena discovers, no one ever leaves.The commune is reminiscent of those places the Nazis set up to breed the Aryan Super Race before WW2 – overlaid with a liberal dash of the Branch Davidians.The German thing is pretty strong: Lena and her boyfriend are German and the commune is run by a German with plenty of ex-pat countrymen mixed in with Chileans. The fact that the film was made by Germans with some of it shot in Germany no doubt adds to the effect as does the braided hair and Oktoberfest vests. A bit of a problem though with some of the Germans speaking perfect English while others have accents that would have done Erich von Stroheim proud.Emma Watson is an engaging screen presence, and gives a powerful performance, but she gets a run for her money from Michael Nyqvist as Paul Schäfer, the scary, face-slapping leader of the colony who quotes John 8:32 "…the truth will set you free" as he delivers yet another stinging backhander.Although Emma was at least 24 when she made the film, she would have no trouble getting away with half-fare on public transport. Maybe that is the reason the bedroom scenes with Daniel Brühl, tame as they are, seem a little confronting.The escape, especially at the end, is standard Hollywood, but "Colonia" doesn't outstay its welcome. Despite not being an instant box office success, I think this film will eventually find an audience; it was out on hire for months at the Hoyts Kiosk where I eventually rented it – time will tell.

Review: I found it quite amazing that this movie was based on true events, because the controlling leader of the colony, Paul Schafer (Michael Nyqvist) really had some warped rules, which went way over the top. The photos of the real Chilean colony were touching and the fact that Lena (Emma Watson) and Daniel (Daniel Bruhl), went through so much to escape from the horrendous conditions, made the movie quite intense towards the end. Lena's love for her boyfriend was truly emotional, and I couldn't believe that no one was willing to help her to find Daniel, who went through unimaginable torture, just because he was protesting and taking photos. Personally, I wouldn't have picked Emma Watson to play Lena, because she lacked emotion and I didn't really feel the intensity of her character but Daniel Bruhl played his Daniel extremely well. Michael Nyqvist and Richenda Carey, who played Gisela, we're pretty scary throughout the movie, so I have to commend them for there performance but there wasn't much depth to the characters because the storyline jumps from a happy couple in bed, to a couple split apart, living in a cult. Anyway, I found the story intriguing and I couldn't help rooting for the couple who were in the wrong place at the wrong time but it needed more emotion. Watchable!Round-Up: This movie was directed by, German born, Florian Gallenberger, who also brought you Shadows of Time and City of War: The Story of John Rabe. I think a story like this, needed a big director because it's definitely a moment in history which a lot of people haven't heard about. I can just imagine the horrible things that must have happened within the colony, so there must be more to the true story, which wasn't brought to the big screen. With that aside, I still found this movie interesting and emotional but, for some unknown reason, it felt like there was something missing.Budget: $14million Worldwide Gross: $2.5millionI recommend this movie to people who are into their drama/romance/thrillers, starring Emma Watson, Daniel Bruhl, Michael Nyqvist, Richenda Carey, Vicky Krieps, Jeanne Werner and Julian Ovenden. 5/10