The Colony

Director: Florian Gallenberger
Year Released: 2015
Rating: 0.5

German airline attendant Lena (Emma Watson) voluntarily admits herself to the notorious Colonia Dignidad in Chile - which presents itself as a charity (run by repulsive Michael Nyquist) but is actually a torture camp - when she finds out her boyfriend, activist and photographer Daniel (Daniel Brühl), is imprisoned there. Here's a case where an actual place of horrors (it is very loosely based on a true story) is given superficial treatment: instead of highlighting actual political problems in Chile under General Pinochet (who was one of the many monsters of the 20th century), it becomes a slightly dressed up exploitation movie, emphasizing the abusive conditions (the shock treatment, the degradation of women, child molestation) and using inane contrivances to move things forward. Watson is a politically-motivated and socially-aware performer, but appearing in cheap nonsense like this doesn't help anyone's cause.