Is Monolith woke?
Movie · 2022
Monolith has a wokeness score of 3/10, which we rate as Light Social Awareness. Some light diversity or inclusion elements that feel natural and organic. Woke themes are subtle, non-intrusive, and fully integrated into the story without drawing attention to themselves.
Key points
- Female journalist protagonist leads a single-actor format with diverse voice cast including non-white characters.
- Subtle critique of media privilege and truth construction tied to wealthy family background.
- Minor metaphorical nod to cultural appropriation via past employee interactions, but non-intrusive.
Wokeness analysis
Monolith (2022) is a low-budget Australian sci-fi thriller centered on a disgraced female journalist who launches a podcast to revive her career while investigating mysterious black bricks tied to illness, visions, and possible conspiracy. The film features a predominantly one-actor format with Lily Sullivan in the lead role, supported by voice performances including several from non-white actors portraying characters like a maid named Floramae and others connected to the mystery. Reviews note subtle commentary on privilege, the construction of truth in media, and the journalist's personal entanglement with the story, including her family's wealthy background. One audience review highlights not-so-subtle elements critiquing white appropriation of culture via the family’s past treatment of non-white employees, framing the bricks metaphorically. However, these aspects remain secondary to the core psychological thriller plot involving isolation, mental decline, and ambiguity about aliens versus delusion. The diversity in casting and voice roles appears organic for an Australian production rather than forced representation. No heavy-handed lectures on identity politics, systemic oppression, or progressive activism dominate the narrative. The story prioritizes suspense, character psychology, and genre elements like conspiracy and the unknown, with any social undertones integrated lightly without overshadowing entertainment or escapism. This results in mild modern sensibilities rather than noticeable or ideological wokeness.
Plot
A disgraced journalist, known only as The Interviewer and played solely on-screen by Lily Sullivan, retreats to her absent parents' isolated home to host an unsolved mysteries podcast called Beyond Believable. She receives a tip about a strange black brick linked to strange visions and illness, prompting her to interview callers including a maid named Floramae. As the story unfolds through phone calls and research, the bricks appear connected to a larger conspiracy possibly involving aliens or government secrets. The journalist's mental health deteriorates as evidence suggests personal involvement in the mystery's backstory. The film builds claustrophobic tension in one location, leaving the ending open to interpretation about reality versus delusion.
Analyzed by AI on July 24, 2026