The Colony (2013) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The Colony takes place in Colony 7, an underground shelter where survivors live during a devastating Ice Age. The story also involves Colony 5, a distant colony that serves as a potential aid destination, and the frozen wilderness that surrounds both underground facilities.

• colony 7
• underground shelter
• setting
• frozen wilderness

The movie is set in a distant future during a severe Ice Age that has forced humanity underground. The timeline reflects a bleak era where human civilization has retreated beneath the surface due to uncontrollable climate conditions, with the story unfolding amid societal collapse and desperation.

• future
• ice age
• time period
• distant future

Colony 7 is the primary underground shelter where most of the film's events occur. It serves as a last bastion of human survival, housing the remaining survivors who struggle against dwindling resources, a deadly flu epidemic, and internal political tensions between compassionate and tyrannical leadership.

• colony 7
• underground
• shelter
• survivors

The Colony explores three dominant themes: loss, as characters grieve loved ones and confront their own mortality; survival, showing the extreme choices people make in crisis situations; and compassion versus tyranny, depicted through the conflict between leaders who prioritize humanity and those who embrace brutal control to ensure survival.

• themes
• loss
• survival
• compassion
• tyranny

Briggs, played by Laurence Fishburne, is the leader of Colony 7 who struggles to maintain order amid severe challenges. He is tested by dwindling resources and a flu outbreak, forcing him to make life-and-death decisions while trying to preserve the colony's fragile existence and advocate for the community's survival against both external threats and internal corruption.

• briggs
• leader
• colony 7
• laurence fishburne

Mason, played by Bill Paxton, embodies tyrannical leadership in Colony 7. He rationalizes harsh and often brutal actions in the name of survival, prioritizing control and obedience over empathy. His oppressive nature creates fear and division among the colonists, representing the film's exploration of how desperation can lead to ruthless leadership.

• mason
• tyrant
• villain
• bill paxton

Sam serves as a voice of reason and compassion within Colony 7, advocating for humane treatment of those afflicted by the flu epidemic. Haunted by memories of personal loss, he represents the emotional struggle survivors face while maintaining hope and humanity in the face of despair.

• sam
• compassionate
• voice of reason
• kevin zegers

Kai plays a pivotal role in the colony's technological efforts to find a better future. She leads during Briggs's absence, demonstrating strength and capability. Her crucial contribution involves using a satellite connection to uncover potential paths to survival beyond their frozen underground existence.

• kai
• technology
• satellite
• charlotte sullivan

The flu epidemic is a central threat that compounds the colony's survival challenges. It forces brutal quarantine decisions, creates internal conflict over how to treat the afflicted, and serves as a tool for tyrannical leaders to consolidate power through fear and strict control measures.

• flu
• epidemic
• pandemic
• illness
• quarantine

The compassion versus tyranny conflict drives much of the film's tension, illustrated primarily through the rivalry between Briggs and Mason. While Briggs advocates for maintaining humanity and moral values during the crisis, Mason uses fear and oppression to maintain control. This struggle forces characters to choose between preserving their humanity or embracing brutal pragmatism to ensure survival.

• leadership
• tyranny
• compassion
• brigg
• mason
• conflict

The Ice Age setting represents both literal and metaphorical despair. The frozen, uninhabitable world outside reflects the emotional isolation and hopelessness experienced by the characters, while the underground colony symbolizes the last remnants of human civilization struggling to survive against overwhelming environmental and societal collapse.

• ice age
• symbolism
• setting
• frozen world
• despair

Colony 5 is a distant colony that the characters from Colony 7 attempt to reach in hopes of receiving aid. However, they discover it in a state of horror and bloodshed, revealing that the same survival pressures and tyrannical leadership have created tragedies there as well.

• colony 5
• destination
• aid
• horror