The Colony

Welcome to the Colony. It's very sleek, effete, modern and totally upper middle classish. Externally it's a well constructed paradise replete with its own efficient private security enforcing the C&R, the fine print covenant and restrictions which govern life, but what lies behind the pleasantries and the security screens?

Colony featured excellent performances by Hal Linden as the evil genius who created the colony and John Ritter the neophyte who allowed to enter the circuit walls engirding the Colony is drawn into discovery of the hidden secret.

I never liked John Ritter's personal philosophy of endemic liberalism but it is strange to watch this 1980s made for TV movie and witness its eerie prophesy for life in a nearly paranoid state.

Starring the fantastic late great John Ritter The Colony is a made for television thriller with a concept alone that it deserves credit for.

It tells the story of a family who move into an exclusive gated community but begin to have concerns about the overwhelming number of rules they must live by and the strange behaviour of their fellow residents.

It's all very 90's (If that makes any sense) but despite the usual gliches it's quite an entertaining little venture. There are a couple of plot holes but thankfully nothing too major and Ritter is excellent as always.

A harmless way of killing 90 minutes.

The Good:

John Ritter

Some interesting ideas

The Bad:

Cliched

Ending could have been better

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

I would happily sacrifice some freedoms for that quality of life

THE COLONY is one of those warning films that did a pretty good job of exposing the "communities" that are now popped up all over and prison is more accurate. And THE COLONY was mild compared to what is really happening now all over in these government controlled "communities". I have friends who are trapped in them and cannot get out ! THE COLONY tried to show as many events that happen as it could in a short less then two hour film. It did an excellent job. The victims are made to think everything is just wonderful - until all their money is gone and they are trapped inside and then the obedience and submission training begins. These 'homes' or apartment complexes are nothing more then prisons for training submission. And the 24/7 monitoring is true - inside as well as outside of the home cell ! Everything is controlled inside and outside of the home 'cell'. I could go into more details not covered in the film, but this film is a good warning to those who think they are 'safe' in these prisons. You're not ! You are nothing more then a controlled submissive robot ! And the water is totally a mind controlling chemical toxic concoction that the DC govt has put all over to keep the people passive and under control, which is why America is the ONLY country that has not had a people rebellion against their tyranny govt.These "communities" are mini cities of submission training just as the whole nation is, on the larger scale. THE COLONY NEEDS TO BE SHOWN ON TV EVERY FEW MONTHS AT LEAST. it is a great film. And the actors in their characters were good in their roles. This film is mild compared to what is really happening out here ! It gives you a view of it all and the future. But the homes are not as luxurious as shown in the film.

This could have been a good movie, except it was too tame. Not enough menace in the menace, if you know what I mean. If you want to at least read it done right, read a novel called The Association, by Bentley Little. It's almost the exact same concept, but it actually makes you fear the big boogey man.

In this mid-90s TV movie John Ritter plays Rick Knowlton who has designed a security system. He is also a family man with a wife Leslie (Mary Page Keller) and two kids (Alexandra Picatto and Cody Dorkin). While feelings the effects of living in a big city of L.A. and having their car stolen Rick is looking for a new and fresh place to live without the stresses and fears that city life creates. A super-rich tycoon Philip Denig (Hal Linden) wants to buy this security system and move the Knowlton family to his community. Rick is ecstatic, but soon finds out that this community isn't as great as he first thought.

Unfortunately this flick doesn't make the cut in my eyes. Not scary enough or spooky enough and the messages that are delivered could have been done in different ways to be much more effective. I do believe they needed to amp things up for it to strike any real chords with me. Might work better for those who have not seen this type of movie before. Sad though, because I think Ritter was perfectly cast for his role, but needs more meat on the bone for me to become more concerned for their well-being. Also starring Frank Bonner from WKRP IN CINCINNATI.