The Platform 2 is a Spanish dystopian thriller that serves as a follow-up to the critically-acclaimed 2019 film The Platform (El Hoyo) and was directed once again by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia. While it was marketed as a sequel, the film works instead as a prequel, detailing the origin and development of the social experiment’s brutality from the first movie. It further explores systemic oppression, class control, ideological manipulation through the metaphor of vertical prison released on Netflix in October 2024.
Setting and Premise
As in the original, the story takes place in the eerie vertical prison tower called Vertical Self-Management Center. It consists of hundreds of floors with two inmates per cell. Daily, a platform descends with gourmet food which stops at each level for inmates to eat. Access to food increases with level; lower levels face starvation or violent cannibalism.
With this installment, the new evolution of the system shows The Law. This regulation states that each prisoner may only eat one item they chose before entering the hall. This form of restriction is said to promote equity and waste management discipline. However, instead of solving disorder, it emphasizes authoritarianism and exposes more of the system’s concealed manipulative interventions.
Main Characters
Perempuan: Milena Smit portrays the central character who seamlessly integrates introspection alongside artistry as an inmate driving empathically rebellious actions towards a structured society which she initially idolized. Thus, in realizing self-liberatory transformation and embracing revolutionary change, she becomes the film’s emotional and ideological compass.
Zamiatin (Hovik Keuchkerian): As her initial cellmate he portrayed a hardened man who subscribes to “The Law.” He is emblematic of moral fidelity tempered by oppressive reality suffering institutional rot.
Sahabat (Natalia Tena) and Dagin Babi (Óscar Jaenada): They embody different yet opposing moral conflictations within sytem – Sahabat as a critic voice for authority abuse maintained by violence while Dagin Babi embraces violent enforcement toward mockery spirit imposing a militant version towards enforcement pretending dominion over morality under law.
Trimagasi (Zorion Eguileor) and Goreng (Iván Massagué)): These are characters from previous film who reappear during important parts suggesting that this narratively preceeds original story but these two films are structurally interconnected directly through its ‘setup.’
Plot Summary
Perempuan and Zamiatin embark the journey of their journey on Level 24 which is high enough for them to appreciate the remnants of luxury. As for Zamiatin, he is an advocator for The Law, believing in its ideology of discipline and control as one accepted system. However, as they descend towards lower levels, it becomes increasingly clear that enforcement has a more brutal aspect. Deviant prisoners are routinely subjected to torture or even mutilation by the cultish zealots known as The Anointed Ones, who enforce the laws with a sadistic fervor.
The culmination of horror comes from Dagin Babi removing Perempuan’s arm which serves as an acknowledgement towards body horror along with symbolic sacrifice.
Perempuan eventually allies with Trimagasi and starts questioning everything regarding the structure’s purpose. She realizes that there is no solution permissible under The Law since it serves only as a sophisticated form of control. Symbolically rebelling against this law, she ingests an oil painting – her chosen item – in order to faux suicide (which she survives). In doing so, she quite literally reaches her bottom level near the caretakers whom she witnesses planting a young girl amongst corpses.
As a result of this twist, the original film’s ending receives new meaning wherein the system’s supposed ‘rescue’ of the child is depicted as an act of hollowed false optimism. The prequel dismantles any remaining hope for reform in this bitter note of disillusionment.
Thematic And Symbolism
Institutional Control and False Order
The law seems to promise some semblance of order, however, it proves to be just as corrupt alongside the chaos exemplified in the original movie. It demonstrates how systems can masquerade cruelty behind a veil of order and fairness, preserving rigidly oppressive outcomes while hiding behind a facade of equity.
Faith, Religion, and Indoctrination
Introduced through The Anointed Ones are broader themes concerning control through religion. Their convictions serve as an echo on how ideologies may be weaved into instruments that justify violence and oppression.
The Illusion Of Hope
What remains pivotal and insightful in message prequels offer is their interpretation of sequels or films prior to them—in this case the illusion of hope destroyoing some hollow aspects of cynicism brought about by such narratives. In contrast to this idea being viewed as positive perception many attractively seem drawn towards contrasts personifying pessimistic outlooks challenging human nature.
Moral Ambiguity and Rebellion
Perempuan’s storyline depicts the struggle between coping with a situation and fighting against it. It illustrates the journey of an individual who attempts to break free from oppression. Her transformation from a passive spectator to an active rebel marks a fight against systems built on crushing dissent.
Visuals and Cinematic Style
As with its predecessor, The Platform 2 features minimalist sets alongside harsh lighting and symmetry. The film’s persistent emphasis on verticality complements the claustrophobic setting. Decay—whether physical or moral—is heavily emphasized in the cinematography—and body horror is much more explicit than in the first film.
Sound design is both minimalistic and eerie, creating a sense of oppressive isolation. Characters often speak very little, allowing silence to convey tension while character emotion unfolds through movement.
Reception
Critical reception was mixed . Some praised its ambition, philosophy, deeper dives into ideology as well as systemic manipulation , while others focused more of their attention on the first installment by mentioning how unbalanced this second chapter felt due lacking emotional resonance stemming from narrative clarity combined with overwhelming bleakness.
Expansion of universe was also noted by some viewers as something worthy of praise though many felt that lack of depth intertwined with complexity made for a poor film altogether.
Issues surrounding intense violence have been considered ‘shaky ground’ due differing views amongst critics thus resulting becoming defined within matter discussed arts being deemed left up interpretation when considering language ripe aggression paired along words engraved bold underlying messages stemming fundamental ideas wrapped tightly aggression paired rationale feelings uncomfortable.
Some viewers appreciated expansion universes posed intellectual challenges wholly grasping reasoning developed obey key motifs closely interwoven wordless storytelling anchored visuals but instead chose abandon identity threads weaving said development sans conceal complexity replace texture leaving core work burnt underneath layers fabric threads collapse dwell beneath mind twisting logic surrender contorted brought into focus expanding perspectives foundation entirely crumpled discarded diabolical mess.
Conclusion
Platform 2 is both taunt and somber in expansion of the original’s dystopian projection. It focuses on chaos control and explores how systems, paradigms and ideologies attempt to retain domineering power and control, even in the vails of reformation. It may not have the emotional straightforwardness of the first film; however, it does redeem itself with bold reframing of what the audiences thought they knew and richer philosophical commentary.
The disquieting penetrating truths regarding shaping of behavior institutions peak through belief systems are hard to digest. However, as stark as it sounds, The Platform 2 is not meant to serve comfort—quite distanced from surrendering to comforts. With striking visuals daring enough to tear away its own mythos—and unyielding consequences for the viewers reflecting upon deeply troubling beliefs—the story fears staying relevant about the Pit should be most carefully approached.
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