As the end of summer approaches, and the box office’s list of offerings becomes slimmer, I thought I’d try something different this week. Instead of making the weekly trip to the cinema, I took a look at the latest on the smaller screen.
Netflix has been churning out a slew of original content in the last few weeks, and amongst the television series, there’s been a few films as well. So, today I thought I’d take on one of the more summer blockbuster-ish ones — “What Happened to Monday.”
This sci-fi, action flick takes place in a dystopian future, and focuses on septuplets trying to live in a world that has outlawed siblings. The Settman Sisters (all played by Noomi Rapace) manage to exist undetected for 30 years. With each one allowed outside one day of the week, they all share a singular identity — Karen Settman — in public. However, in private they go by their corresponding days of the week. It’s a simple, genius, and sad system.
As you may have guessed, and the title suggests, their system goes awry when Monday goes missing. The remaining six sisters band together to try and find their missing sister; however, it soon becomes clear that someone has discovered their illegal existence.
It’s an intriguing premise with some interesting themes. Legislated population control, a surveillance state, and clones (okay, septuplets…), make “What Happened to Monday” a sci-fi fan’s dream. Sadly, it never feels like it lives up to its full potential.
It’s a premise where you want to get to know the central characters, and it feels like we never do. The main difference between the sisters seems to be their hair. The rushed nature of the film forces the sisters’ differences to rely on stereotypes instead of actual character development. There’s the smart one, the blonde one, the tough one…and you get the picture. Noomi Rapace does what she can with the seven sisters, and as the film progresses you start to see their individuality on a less superficial level. It just feels like their could be more to these characters, if we were given more time.
That being said, it’s hard to judge “What Happened to Monday,” for being something that it’s not. It’s a fast-paced, sci-fi adventure, and considering it’s on Netflix, it’s a nice alternative if you prefer your summer blockbusters from the comfort of your own couch.
…just for fun:
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