Movie Review ~ Monolith

Audiences craving cinema with focused innovation should find Monolith to be an intriguing collision of conspiracy theories and unexplained phenomena. Mixing elements of bare-bones sci-fi, slow-burn horror, and old-fashioned investigative journalism into an often-riveting narrative, director Matt Vesely and screenwriter Lucy Campbell take viewers on an absorbing journey through the unexplored realms of the mysteries hiding in plain sight and a cosmic discovery that could change the world as we know it.  Released through Well Go USA, this Australian production is ambitious enough to tackle multiple genres without flinching and constructed with material that’s so sturdy it holds up under reflective scrutiny.

Never named but listed in the credits as The Investigator, Lily Sullivan (Evil Dead Rise) is the solitary actor appearing on screen for the duration of the film, which takes place entirely inside the cold confines of an isolated home. She’s a once-respected journalist recently caught up in an issue that affected her integrity and destroyed her ability to interact with friends and family. Now, she is attempting to put her life back together and find a way forward to capitalize on her talent and rebuild her brand in a climate that is not trained to forget or forgive easily. Her desperate quest for redemption leads her to a new obsession, finding the origin of multiple black bricks received by individuals around the globe who share no apparent connection.

First alerted to the existence of the bricks via an anonymous email, her conversation with a retired housekeeper (Ling Cooper Tang, Ticket to Paradise) begins innocently but turns ominous once she pushes into more personal questions regarding the arrival of the strange artifact. Creating a podcast out of this exchange opens a Pandora’s Box for The Investigator, triggering phonies and unearthing her past transgressions. It also unveils an otherworldly conspiracy that challenges her beliefs and the very fabric of reality itself. Caught in an increasingly bizarre web of unknown truths and haunting testimonies of those who have encountered the brick firsthand, the journalist uncovers secrets that could either resuscitate her career or bury her for good.

Using its single setting to create an atmosphere of mounting tension and unease, Monolith’s tight quarters eventually parallel the corner The Investigator has painted herself into. The solemnity originally sought by The Investigator gives way to claustrophobic paranoia, turning her idyllic retreat into a near-prison as she begins to fear a cerebral mystery she can’t crack physically. Sullivan brings a palpable vulnerability to her performance, infusing her character with a reliably ingenious nuance that keeps us off balance as to how in control of the situation she truly is.

Making his feature-film debut, Vesely’s direction demonstrates a deft command of storytelling and concentrated visual language. There’s an admirable eye for detail in what he and cinematographer Michael Tessari choose to show us and when, and his ability to maintain a suspenseful momentum with such a unique set-up tells of someone who has thought through how all the pieces in the puzzle fit together. A silly ending could have easily mucked up Campbell’s taut screenplay, but she’s crafted a hauntingly thought-provoking finale that, while leaving the viewer with their questions answered where Monolith is concerned, feels like it’s just beginning to scratch at a much larger issue.

Shot in sequence over fifteen days, Monolith doesn’t skimp on the scares, but the sinister air hovering over the film will get under your skin and keep you on the edge of your seat. Sullivan’s strong performance (as well as the voiceover actors who play her contacts to the outside world) operates at the perfect pitch to sell the more fantastical elements of the screenplay. Additionally, Vesey’s precision in directing contributes significantly to keeping it on track and not diverging into a pallid bag of spooks with no payoff. A gripping exploration of existential dread and journalistic obsession, it’s a surefire standout in a crowded field of genre entries that aim far lower.