The Platform

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7.9/10

FilmFascination Rating

Now this movie is not among the famous good movies. But it is so unusually unique that I had to share it.

The concept of the movie is clever. It takes place in a futuristic structure called “The Hole”, hundreds of floors tall. Each floor has two inmates and at the center of every floor is a big rectangular hole through which a platform moves. Through the hole, you can peak at the people above or below. At 0 level, the platform is filled with delicious food including big cakes, chicken, and other meat, and surprisingly even considers the favourite food of the inmates. The platform stops at each level for a brief amount of time. So the people on the first floor have the opportunity to eat fresh food and the people on the lower levels can only eat what is left for them. Also, they cannot keep food with them. If they do so the temperature of the floor will be increased or decreased to drastic levels.

Now you might be thinking that how horrendous it is to eat someone’s leftovers. But it is not long before you understand that this is the least horrible part of the film. The concept is simple. If the people on each floor ate only the necessary amount, then the food will be enough for everyone. And obviously, that is not the case that happens. The people at the higher levels would eat as much as they could result in negligible food remaining for some floors, and absolutely nothing for the remaining ones. And if you’re wondering how these people survive when they’re on the lower floors, you might not be ready for the dreadful place this movie goes.

In all this madness, our eyes are on Goreng (Iván Massagué ) who has volunteered himself to enter this place, which is no less than hell, for six months in return for an accredited diploma and for quitting his habit of smoking. He is equivalent to the viewers who is explained all the rules of ‘The Hole’ by his inmate, Trimagasi (Zorion Eguileor). They are allowed to bring one object with them. Not knowing what he is getting into, he just brings a book to read. He tries to befriend the people on the floors above and below him. That is when Trimagasi stops him by saying that the people below him are equal to shit, figuratively and even literally. Hence, the people on higher floors feel greater than those on the lower floors. It is quite comparable to Darwinism. It also becomes clear that greed and fear rule above all.

But the evilest part of this system, and the film’s most clever societal insight, is that inmates change floors every month. So, when people from lower floors came to floors where leftovers are abundantly available, they did not sympathize with those who were in the place they were before. And in fact, overeat to make up for the last month of deprivation. We see how Goreng’s journey between the many platforms starts to affect his own morality and principles, forcing him to do things he would have previously thought impossible.

The movie is not for the faint-hearted. It has cannibalism, suicide, blood, guts, faeces, madness, and illusions due to starvation and solitary confinement. It is evident that the movie is a metaphor for the society we live in. When asked about the brutal violence, the director said the prison’s “hole is a reflection of our society, so it couldn’t hide the violence. It had to show how we rip each other apart.”

Given its limited settings, it is surprising to see multiple twists, and each of them casts a new light on how the movie is supposed to reflect society or how miserable it has become. This becomes one of the greatest strengths of the movies. Our perception of looking at the movie decides how much we relate it to the existing society. It digs deep into human psychology. Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia (director) says the film’s key message is that “humanity will have to move towards the fair distributaion of wealth.”

With the incredible storytelling and the ferocious speed, it moves with, we find ourselves glued to the screen cautiously anticipating just how bad things can get. The characters are memorable because of their intelligent dialogues. Especially Zorion Eguileor (Trimagasi) and Iván Massagué (Goreng) have done a very good job. I love how much it focuses on the details to show what all has happened in “The Hole”. The mere scene of a decapitated body and smear of blood on the wall of the platform reflects how much they have thought about it. But I must say that it does not answer every question you might get. With the entire movie being exhilarating, I expected something more from the ending.

It is not a world everybody would want to visit, but the genre fans will definitely admire it. It also won the People’s Choice Award within the Midnight Madness strand at the Toronto film festival. It is not a long movie. So, if you have the time, you should experience it. It is not a movie that blends with the others, it is something different. I am pretty sure that it will linger on your mind for some time.

Favourite Quotes

Trimagasi: Hunger unleashes that madman in us. It’s better to eat than be eaten.

Goreng: [narrating] There are 3 kinds of people; the ones above, the ones below, and the ones who fall.

Trimagasi:  You’ve got a good heart. I don’t think you’ll survive very long.

Imoguiri: This is not a good place for someone who likes reading.

Goreng: It’s not a great idea to bring a sausage dog in here. In here, he’s more sausage than dog.

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