I am forever intrigued by writers comments when Earth becomes uninhabitable for humans, particularly when it has been destroyed by climate change, pandemics and war all of which somewhere around the globe we are being subjected to in 2021. 

I enjoyed my recent journey with science-fiction thriller The Colony. It reminded me of the TV series I have been watching called The 100 but with a very different slant. In The Colony it is the ruling elite who originally escape Earth’s destruction and are consequently responsible for the future of humanity. 

The Story

Long settled on Planet Kepler 209, a planet that makes its inhabitants sterile, female astronaut Blake is dynamic and strong (played by newcomer Nora Arnezeder from Safe House & Mozart in the Jungle) when carries out their mission. Blake and her fellow space colleagues must return to Earth, two generations later, to determine if life on Earth is possible again in order for humanity to survive. 

Mission Ulysses II is launched but things go wrong in space and the capsule gets out of control as it hits Earth’s atmosphere. Blake is the only astronaut to survive their crash landing. 

Shipwrecked, she soon discovers she is not alone on Earth’s remaining wastelands and another fight for survival of the species begins to ensure future generations will be possible. 

Director Tim Fehlbaum quickly brings to screen the resilience Blake and her new alliances muster as he takes us on a breathless journey where hope is not lost. I wondered how one could survive such damp drowning conditions in true life. It is a unique world to live in for both the future of mankind and residents from Planet Keler 209, there is no other choice. 

“In our story there is a confrontation between two surviving groups. On the one side there is a highly cultured and technological community of fate on the point of dying out, and on the other a primitive society of hunters and gatherers who have adjusted to the living conditions of an inhospitable world and are in the process of developing a new and independent culture.” It’s all about how humanity fundamentally has to adjust to a new environment in order to survive.

This German-Swiss production is filmed in Tagebau Welzow, Welzow, Brandenburg about 117km south-eat of Berlin, and Wadden Sea location at Insel Neuwerk, Hamburg, Germany as well as in German mudflaps as far as the eye can see. The landscape is daunting which enhances the surprising twists and turns throughout the story. A talented cast of actors, and most viewers will recognize Gibson (Iain Glen from the TV series Game of Thrones). Another mind provoking story to embrace.

Cast and Crew

Director: Tim Fehlbaum, 

Writers Screenplay: Tim Fehlbaum, Mariko Minoguchi and co-writers Jo Rogers, Tim Trachte

Starring: Nora Arnezeder (Blake), Iain Glen (Gibson), Sarah-Sofie Boussnina (Narvik), Sope Dirisu (Tucker), Sebastian Roché (Blake’s father), Joel Basman (Paline), Kotti Yun (Munay), Bella Bading (Maila), Chloé Heinrich (young Blake), Eden Gough (Neil)and many others.  Producers: Thomas Wöbke, Philipp Trauer, Ruth Waldburger, Tim Fehlbaum

IN SELECT CINEMAS SEPTEMBER 30 

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