The Platform (2020) <Netflix>
Based on the recommendations here, I gave it a go. Note, it appears to be filmed in Spanish, but the Netflix let me set audio and subtitles to English. Personal note, I'm always amused when audio and subs for English don't match...how hard is that?
Similar to Cube in minimalism only, IMO. Cube at least had traps-puzzles to advance and survive, here it's just the basic 'eat-survive' which removed that interesting and appealing aspect. Similar to Snowpiercer in that there is a physical prison-caste system, but this one is vertical rather than horizontal, and this film brings no star power so it forgoes that expectation of quality (my tone here is to indicate my disappointment overall with Snowpiercer). Both those other films offered a theme of human existence, societal reflection, and personal evaluation depending upon how deep you wanted to go with thinking. Cube was about the self, in that sense, but it didn't go too deep on the thinking as it offered shiny new death themes for each room. Snowpiercer had minimal interesting bits beyond a revolt against the heirarchy, and several HUGE F'N HOLES outside that societal revolt theme. It tried, at least moreso towards the climax, to bring some social commentary as to why people act as they do, and offer some (twisted?) reasoning for it. Of course, it closed with a pretty stark statement that destroying a bad system left the few survivors in a bleak world with near nil chance to carry on.
Platform, instead, had very little of interest outside the theme of human interaction. The premise, for those that don't know, is a vertical prison of a single cell stacked several hundred cells high with two occupants per cell. A platform descends the center of all cells, stopping at each floor for a short period of feeding before continuing downward. This means, those on the top floor get first choice, and people below level 50 are getting scraps, and people much lower may not get anything at all. Then, once a month, the cellmates are moved together to a new floor, seemingly randomly, while they serve out their term. Our protagonist is a fellow who signed up to go in for 6mo in exchange for a reward of some sort. We find him in a cell with an older man nearing the end of his 2y sentence. There are a few rules in prison - can't hoard food or you will be punished, you can bring one item with you (anything you choose) while you serve your time. So the meat of the story focuses in on where are you in relation to others, do you screw them when you're up top knowing they'll screw you when you are down below (capitalism anyone)? Or do you seek to help everyone (socialism anyone?) How do you interact with your peer cell mate - cooperate or fight? The few characters do draw you in for a connection, the few rules do well to give framework and not detract from the societal statement. Overall, a decent 'think' film if that's what you want. If you want more than that, go elsewhere. Personally, I'd put this well above Snowpiercer (down on the utter shite list), and just below Cube (I like gadgets and gore), and give it credit for not only seeking a 'societal think' interaction with the viewer, but achieving it decently well. It's not a great film, but a good one. 7/10.
