In this section of our Colossus Movie Guide for 65, we talk about themes that help us understand the film.
Cast
- Mills – Adam Driver
- Koa – Ariana Greenblatt
- Nevine – Chloe Coleman
- Alya – Nika King
- Written by – Scott Beck | Bryan Woods
- Directed by – Scott Beck | Bryan Woods
Guilt and Grief: Mills’s Struggle
Mills’s daughter, Nevine, is sick. The treatment she needs is expensive. To pay for it, Mills accepts a job that needs two years to complete. It’s a hard decision because if he passes on the opportunity then it might be impossible to pay for Nevine’s treatment. But, if he takes it, there is no guarantee. The worst case scenario is Mills leaves, the treatment doesn’t work, and Nevine dies before he returns. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happens.
So when we pick up with Mills, he’s not the same hopeful man from the beginning of 65. This is why when he crash lands on Earth, he tells Somaris not to send help. Nevine has already passed. His guilt is tremendous. Mills doesn’t want to fight to live. He’d rather let his grief consume him
Redemption and Fear: Discovering Koa
When Mills discovers Koa, a young girl in need of help, his parental instincts reignite. Saving her offers him a shot at redemption, an opportunity to make up for what he couldn’t do for Nevine. However, this newfound purpose brings a mix of emotions, including fear of failure, fear of reliving the pain of losing a loved one, and fear of caring for someone again. Mills thinks he failed Nevine once before; can he succeed this time around?
When Mills discovers Koa, his parental instincts kick in. The opportunity to save her is, in some small way, an opportunity at saving himself. It’s redemption. What he couldn’t do for Nevine. This comes with mixed feelings. Fear of failure. Fear of reliving the pain of losing someone you care about. Fear of caring for and about someone. Mills believes he fumbled that responsibility once before. This time, will he succeed?
Found Family: The Last of Us Parallels
Mills no longer has Nevine. Koa no longer has parents. Their situation is similar to Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us. While they’re not related, circumstances bring them together in this father-daughter dynamic. You can imagine a situation where Mills and Alya adopt Koa. It may not be the family they thought they’d have, but it’s family nonetheless.
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