Originality of an idea in itself is neither a guarantee nor a necessary prerequisite for the quality of a film. If a story is told well, it matters less whether the audience has heard it before. However, if an idea is not skilfully utilised, not only will its originality prove of little help, but the lack of originality will become far more irritating. An even sadder case arises when a feature film attempts to exploit an idea that someone else has already developed far more effectively and successfully in a television series. One such example is What Happened to Monday, a sci-fi film whose plot will trigger considerable déjà vu effects for fans of the TV series Orphan Black.
The action is set in the second half of the 21st century within a federal Europe. Its rulers, like the rest of the world, face seemingly unsolvable ecological and demographic problems and opt for drastic solutions. A law is enacted strictly prohibiting the birth of more than one child, with parents punished and any excess children placed in cryo-chambers to remain frozen until happier times arrive. Terrence Settman (Willem Dafoe) has neither the patience nor understanding for such measures after his daughter dies giving birth to septuplets. Instead, he decides to keep all seven granddaughters, fortunate that they are all identical septuplets. They live confined to a single flat, with only one of them permitted to leave the apartment on a specific day of the week, all the while pretending to be the same person. This system functions for thirty years, but despite their identical appearance, the different versions of Karen Settman—nicknamed after the days of the week—develop distinct personalities and inclinations. This inevitably causes numerous complications, which finally escalate when Monday fails to return to her sisters one day. The remaining six are forced to assume her identity and attempt to uncover what happened to her, all while it becomes clear the authorities are closing in.
The film’s direction was entrusted to Tommy Wirkola, a Norwegian who gained attention several years ago with highly entertaining films about battling Nazi zombies. Although the premise of identity substitution might at first glance lend itself perfectly to a comedy of errors, the screenplay by Max Botkin and Kevin Williamson fails to exploit this potential. Instead, the dystopian world of an uncomfortably near future is portrayed with grim seriousness. There is not even room for Rapace, one of today’s most talented European actresses, to make anything meaningful of her demanding multiple role. Even more damning are the inevitable comparisons with Tatiana Maslany, whose clone roles in Orphan Black are far better written. More attentive viewers will unravel the mystery hinted at in the film’s title long before the characters do, and the dramatic turns in the melodramatic finale offer little in the way of genuine surprise.
That said, this does not mean What Happened to Monday is a bad film. Wirkola clearly relishes directing the action sequences, which at times rival the intensity of those in Atomic Blonde. Some viewers will also appreciate the subtle nods to classic dystopian cinema, such as Soylent Green, and discover unsettling allegories to current events. The sinister, bloodthirsty villains in the film are officials—or employees of what today’s EU might transform into—and it is not difficult to recognise Hillary Clinton in the character portrayed by Glenn Close. Despite a series of missed opportunities, the two-hour runtime passes relatively quickly and smoothly, an achievement that noisier, thematically similar Hollywood productions often fail to match.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
(Note: The text in the original Croatian version was posted here.)
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