REVIEW | Would you rather eat or be eaten on ‘The Platform’?

Released on March 20 2020, Netflix's The Platform has sparked extensive debate among viewers and critics alike.

This Spanish thriller and sci-fi film, which holds a 4.1-star rating on Rotten Tomatoes from over 3,300 ratings, premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, winning the People’s Choice Award for Midnight Madness.

At the heart of the film is Goreng, played by Ivan Massagué, who voluntarily enters a dystopian prison known as “The Pit” for two weeks, hoping to break his smoking habit. As the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that each inmate harbours their own reasons for being there — but the brutal reality of this system shocks both Goreng and the audience.

The prison operates on a tiered system, where a platform laden with food descends through various levels. Inmates at higher levels feast on the abundance, while those below suffer from deprivation. By the time the platform reaches Goreng and his cellmate, Trimagasi (Zorion Eguileor), there’s little left. As Trimagasi explains, the inmates are reassigned to different floors each month, creating a volatile environment where desperation and violence thrive.

“There are three types of people. Those at the top, those at the bottom, and those who fall,” says Trimagasi, explaining the system to Goreng. 

The film’s setting is stark, with cement walls painted a dull grey, and there are minimal amenities: each level is equipped only with a basin, a commode and a bucket. The occupants wear drab uniforms and are allowed to bring only one item of personal significance; Goreng chooses the epic Spanish novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.

On level one, inmates indulge in a lavish spread, highlighting the film's The Platform’s central theme of resource distribution. Imoguiri, a woman who works for the prison’s administration says that if each prisoner were to take only a modest portion, food could theoretically reach every level. “If everyone ate only what they needed, the food would reach the lowest levels,” she says.  

Yet, as viewers witness, this rarely happens. Goreng’s struggle to save those below him introduces a visceral journey filled with violence, bloodshed, and disturbing sequences.

The film uses this vertical prison itself is a metaphor for the vast inequalities that exist within society. The people on the top levels of the prison are able to enjoy a lavish lifestyle, while those on the bottom levels are forced to suffer in abject poverty.

"Hunger unleashes that madman in us. It's better to eat than be eaten,"  Trimagasi says showing the inherent unfairness of this system and the lengths that people will go to in order to protect their own interests.

Director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia articulated the film’s themes in an interview with Digital Spy. “The pit reflects that cold dehumanisation of the world we live in.” he said.

Gaztelu-Urrutia elaborated on the moral dilemmas presented in the film. “It’s about the limits of your own solidarity, and how easy it is to be a good person when you’re comfortably in Level 10, but how hard it is to do so when at Level 182.”

The film’s narrative invites various interpretations, with some viewers seeing a critique of political and economic systems, while others identify religious symbolism.

“We certainly do think there has to be a better distribution of wealth, but the film is not strictly about capitalism. Ultimately, I wanted it to be open to interpretation, whether the plan worked and the higher-ups even care about the people in the pit,” said Gaztelu-Urrutia.

The writing duo of David Desola and Pedro Rivero, alongside Gaztelu-Urrutia, guide audiences through a labyrinth of moral complexity. A particularly striking observation is how former occupants of lower levels, once elevated, often become more selfish rather than sympathetic towards those still struggling below.

“As the narrative progresses, viewers are left to ponder. At the end of the day, the movie isn’t going to change the world, but it may change the viewer,” said Gaztelu-Urrutia.

In a notable continuation of the story, a sequel premiered on South African Netflix on October 4 2023, inviting audiences to grapple with new themes and moral quandaries, much like the first film did in 2019.

The Platform remains a compelling exploration of human nature and societal structures, leaving viewers with much to contemplate long after the credits roll.