Monolith (2016) is an Italian thriller directed by Ivan Silvestrini, starring Katrina Bowden. Itβs a tense, single-location survival thriller that revolves around a high-tech car and a motherβs desperate attempt to save her child.
Sandra, a former pop singer, is on a road trip through the vast American desert with her 2-year-old son, David, traveling in a high-tech, AI-driven SUV called Monolith. This car, designed to be the safest vehicle ever built, boasts unbreakable windows, a powerful AI system, and an airtight security protocol meant to protect its passengers at all costs.
Sandraβs husband, Carl, who works in the tech industry, gifted her the Monolith, which she initially views as a status symbol. However, as the journey progresses, Sandra grows increasingly suspicious of Carl's fidelity. She checks his phone and finds a call from a mysterious woman named Saul, leading her to believe Carl is cheating. Distracted by her emotions and paranoia, she begins making reckless decisions.
After making an impromptu stop at a gas station, she allows her son to play with her phone. Later, David accidentally presses a security button on the Monolithβs app, locking himself inside. Since Monolith is designed to protect its occupants under any circumstance, the car goes into full lockdown mode, sealing its doors and windows, making it impenetrable from the outside.
Trapped in the scorching desert heat, Sandra realizes she has no way of opening the car manually. To make matters worse, she has no cell service, and the Monolithβs AI refuses to override security without proper authorization. With her son inside and oxygen levels dropping, she must fight against both time and technology to break into the vehicle and save her child.
Katrina Bowden delivers a strong performance, carrying almost the entire film on her shoulders. Her portrayal of Sandraβs escalating desperation and determination is convincing, making the audience root for her despite her initial mistakes.
The cinematography enhances the filmβs tension, using sweeping desert shots to contrast the tight, intense focus on Sandra's struggle. The heat, exhaustion, and psychological pressure are all visually communicated through the filmβs color grading and camerawork.
Monolith received mixed reviews. While many praised its unique premise and tense atmosphere, others criticized the script for being too thin, with some frustrating character decisions. Some viewers felt the film dragged in parts, given that it relies heavily on a single character in one primary location.
Despite these criticisms, Monolith remains a compelling survival thriller that effectively explores the unintended consequences of advanced technology. It serves as a cautionary tale about our dependence on machines and the primal instincts that emerge when faced with a life-or-death situation.
