The Platform (2019)

Excellent Thriller - The Platform review by GI

This is a highly effective psychological thriller cum futuristic horror film. Without any explanations as to the origins or purpose the story is set in a strange prison known as 'The Hole' where two people occupy each cell, with one cell on every level. Each day for two minutes a platform containing a sumptuous feast of food is lowered through to each cell. The platform contains enough food to feed all if those at the upper level, who get access to it first, only take what they need. Inevitably they stuff themselves leaving nothing for those on the lower levels. Each month the occupants wake up on a different level never knowing whether they will be higher or lower and consequently will get lots of food or very little if any. The story focuses on Goreng (Ivan Massagué) who has volunteered to complete six months in the Hole in return for a social reward. His cell mate is an old man who teaches him the rules and has been imprisoned for one year after accidentally killing a man. Goreng quickly learns that if the higher levels ration themselves no-one will go hungry. He has to persuade others to his way of thinking. The concept here is a very clever one based on theories of social conscience, greed and human hypocrisy. There's some quite unsettling aspects to the story and some of it is shocking but what an interesting little film and certainly one worth checking out.