"The Platform" and 10 Questions We Still Have
Ivan Massagué - El Hoyo © 2019 - Basque Films
Spoilers ahead!
Netflix’s “The Platform” written by David Desola and Pedro Rivero, and directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia is a gory, in your face metaphor for classism and human nature that horror lovers everywhere can appreciate. From the distinctness and specificity of the sounds and foley to the beautiful shots and visuals, it’s no wonder the film has received so much buzz. Almost the entire story takes place in a concrete prison called the hole. We follow Goreng, a middle-aged man who volunteers to stay in the hole for six months to receive an accredited diploma. However, he soon realizes he might have made a mistake.
What they failed to tell Goreng about the apparent social experiment is that the prison is over 200 levels, each level containing two inmates/roommates. In the center of each room is a large hole where a platform of concrete flows up and down. It passes through each of the levels with food. A head chef ( who takes his job way too seriously if you ask me) runs the kitchen up top to provide an exquisite selection of food for the inmates. In theory, he and his crew provide just enough food for every inmate to eat. However, as panic sets in, those on the upper levels selfishly over indulge, leaving nothing for the lower levels, which in turn leads to gruesome desperation. Each pair of roommates live on a random level for a month before they are drugged and moved to another level. After barely surviving five months, Goreng decides to try and send those above a message using the platform.
There are plenty of twists and turns that keep the audience interested. Some are far more gruesome than one expects. Still, the rules of the hole are clear, and the metaphors the film is trying to get across to the audience are as well without feeling tedious. However, as much as we enjoyed and recommend The Platform, WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
1. Who is running the experiment? We learn they are called The Administration but are they the current government administration, another political party, a random group of curious, narcissists? WHO?
2. Does anyone actually get out?/Has anyone gotten out?
3. Does the kitchen staff know what’s going on below them?
4. What year is it? We see very little of the outside world, and when we do, it’s obscured.
5. How did Miharu get caught up in this mess?
6. How does the platform float through the floors, again when are we? What is the deal with technology?
7. When deciding which piece of food will send the correct message, why do Goreng and Baharat choose panna cotta? Is there a cultural significance?
8. What’s the point of the experiment?
9. How long will it last overall?
10. What happens to Goreng?
Some of these questions may be easier answered than others, and we would personally love a prequel based on the development of the platform experiment. However, as that seems unlikely, we’ll continue to read and speculate with others. If you watch and would like to discuss further or if you have an answer, let us know in the comments, it’s a film that deserves a conversation, obvio.
About the Writer
Deanna Gomez is a Cinema and Television Studies lecturer and Editor in Chief of the WODC blog. She helms the Spooky Bitches horror column and is host of The Spooky Bitches Podcast.