The Netflix Original, What Happened To Monday, is a thrilling production full of engaging action, graphic scenes and gripping suspense. Set in the year 2073 in a world where siblings are not allowed, Swedish actress Noomi Rapace plays identical septuplets whose lifestyle is regulated to avoid being put into ‘Cryosleep’.
With a theme of overpopulation, which ultimately led to this one-child policy, I was intrigued. Having recently watched the movie OKJA, with mention of corporate greed and animal activism, I was curious whether this movie would have similar themes. The character Nicolette Cayman, played by Glenn Close, is a ruthless leader who preached sustainability and the preservation of the planet for future generations, which led to the Cryosleep project. Essentially, any siblings born would be sent off to the government’s Child Allocation Board to be put to sleep, with promises of a better future.
The fun and genius concept of the movie is when the septuplets’ grandfather, Terrance Settman, played by Willem Dafoe, names the seven girls after each day of the week, Monday through Sunday. He strictly raises them so they are only allowed out on the day of the week that is their name. They also learn how to survive together by keeping each other in the loop about the outside world and suffering the consequences of one sister’s actions together. They grow up taking turns being ‘Karen Settman’ who becomes a businesswoman working at a bank, and each day they must leave their apartment looking exactly the same and being cautious about details. Monday doesn’t come home one night, so the sisters have to figure out a way to find and save her.
This movie was a showcase of Rapace’s range with bold visuals, though at times, it had a lacklustre dialogue. Reminiscent of the series Orphan Black, where actress Tatiana Maslany plays identical clones. In comparison, I definitely think Maslany was able to create distinguishable characters, with different personalities and accents, whereas Rapace’s performances of the sisters lacked a strong individual identity. Of course, one big factor is that Orphan Black is a series and would give the actress Maslany more backstory material and time. Despite having to figure out which sister was named after which day during the film, Rapace managed to bring distinct enough personalities. I did like that she showed off her physicality in the fight scenes like the action girl we’ve seen of her in ‘Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’.
Sci-fi Thriller is my favourite genre, and I can generally say this movie didn’t disappoint. It was fun and engaging, with great use of suspense and gore. It’s great that Netflix movies have creative freedom for directors and writers, as movies like this show you can create dystopian worlds and unpredictable motifs for the audience’s enjoyment. As this film is set not far in the future, it left me thinking whether policies such as ‘one child’ may become a reality, as the looming threat of overpopulation and resource scarcity is real. This uneasiness about the future and modernity is a theme I’ve noticed in 2017, even with shows like Black Mirror, where technology is the threat; it’s interesting to see futuristic worlds coupled with moral panic.
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