So this, according to my homepage, is the 2nd most watched or trending movie on the streaming service right now. This is a good thing because it is nice to see Netflix users branching away from the usual Hollywood drivel and diving into a Spanish film that has a deeper message to it.
The Platform is a film that will make you think about the underlying message, which is much greater than what is simply presented on screen
The film is set in a prison of sorts which is entirely vertical. It is many stories high and the people on each level can not climb up from their current floor. Every day, a massive spread of food is introduced at the top of the tower, and a certain amount of time is allowed for each level to eat what they want. After a certain amount of time the platform descends to the levels below.
Obviously, the closer you are to the top the better access you are going to have to food and this says a lot about the world as a whole. The people at the top of the economic literal "food chain" have the best access, while the people towards the bottom have to rely on whatever is left over, if there is anything left over at all. The absence of food at times turns some people to violence despite the fact that they only have one person in the "cell" with them and that one person is not at all responsible for the lack of food.
The reason why this film is fantastic is because it extends well beyond its actual story. The presentation is very much like Saw in that it is gruesome, bloody, and graphic, but it also has an underlying story that makes you think long after it is over. It exhibits the greed that exists in most of us if given the opportunity. What would YOU do if you were at the top of the tower? Would you care about the people below or would you just thank your good fortune for being near the top and fend only for yourself?
I've said all good things but there is one caveat with this film: It can be viewed as a bit boring since the scenery never changes. In my mind it wasn't necessary but I can fully understand how some people would get bored. Also, for people that are opposed to reading subtitles because doing so takes away from their ability to stare at their phones while "kinda" watching a movie, this isn't going to work for you unless you are fluent in Spanish.
For me, this film is a work of art and one of the better presentations I have seen in quite some time.
