Against the backdrop of a military coup, fascist frenzy, decades of human rights violations and corrupt political regimes, Colonia sets itself up for great success among liberal-minded audiences who get hot and bothered about such things. Layer in a plot about a cult, sexual abuse, social segregation, torture and murder, religious mania, political secrets, and underground tunnels, and place the cherry on top in the form of Emma Watson, and what is there not to like?
A lot, apparently. The film begins like a Hallmark romance between a stewardess (yes, I know, but it's the '70s), and an activist in Chile, rousing crowds and snapping photographs. Unfortunately, his camera is confiscated and then he is confiscated. Daniel Bruhl plays the German-born activist also named Daniel, and after he is whisked away from his lover, he is interrogated and tortured in an undisclosed location. Emma Watson plays Lena, and the movie is hers: Intent on finding her love, she seeks out a mysterious compound called the Colonia Dignidad, which labels itself as a charitable mission under strict religious rule. Going undercover, Lena infiltrates the compound as a drab, pious woman seeking God and eventually finds Daniel. Watson is by far the best thing in the movie, and her tireless, self-sacrificing efforts to rescue Daniel are admirable.
Of course, if you know your history of such things, the colony is a fearsome cult founded and overseen by Paul Schafer (played by a lackluster Michael Nyqvist, who nevertheless looks terrifyingly like the real man). Power-mad and perverse, he twists his religious proclamations to enforce adherence under penalty of torture and death while sexually and violently abusing the children and women of the compound. His business relationship with the new regime (the compound is a sort of detention camp for political troublemakers) and the intrigue of cult society would certainly make for a fascinating film. Too bad this one isn't.
Wasted on the structure and strictures of a period romance, these provocative elements are pared away to their most basic shape, and moments of psychological profundity become groan-inducing cliches. A straightforward thriller or even a documentary would have been infinitely more effective at telling the story and revealing the horrors, without forcing us to slog through a laughable screenplay and heavy-handed direction. Too many happy conveniences, too many coincidences, and ultimately not enough logic stop us from losing ourselves in the picture. Despite a chilling premise, the energy only really ramps up at the end, after (spoiler alert) the couple escapes from the colony and has to fight their way through an airport to reach safety. Unfortunately by this point, when we should be bursting with objection over the evils we've witnessed, the gimmicky "thriller" elements totally defuse any remaining thematic tension.
To summarize: How disappointing that a wicked cult leader and a violent military coup stopped two young lovers from enjoying a week off.
IMDb: Colonia
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