Holy shit! Where has this movie been my whole life?
I’d never even heard of The Platform until my lovely wife found it on Netflix. The preview was intriguing and, though I typically reserve foreign language films for when I’m specifically in the mood for such a thing, we decided to give it a watch. God, I’m glad we did.
My two favorite foreign horror films are I Saw the Devil (Korean) and Audition (Japanese). (My favorite foreign film that isn’t horror is probably Das Boot, a must-fucking-see for anyone, in my opinion.) And I don’t think my top two changed after viewing The Platform, but it definitely comes in at a very competitive third place. My lovely wife puts The Platform ahead of Audition. It’s that good!
The Platform is a Spanish film, directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia and starring Ivan Massague. The synopsis states: “A vertical prison with one cell per level. Two people per cell. One only food platform and two minutes per day to feed from up to down. An endless nightmare trapped in The Hole.” That synopsis is shit, to be honest. Basically, people are imprisoned in what must be either a tower or an underground structure with hundreds of floors. There is a hole in the center of every floor, and once a day, a platform of food, starting at the top, descends and allows only a couple of minutes per floor for the prisoners to eat. So, the people on the upper floors eat well, while the people on the lower floors are getting scraps or nothing at all. Thus, violence, cannibalism, and all sorts of other fun ensues.
The gore is great. The acting is superb. The plot and pacing keep you on edge. I was a bit disappointed with the ending, but there probably couldn’t be a completely satisfying ending for such a movie. If you liked The Cube, you’re gonna love The Platform.
Find it on Netflix!