The Platform Review

Director Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia's gnarly horror/thriller The Platform is a challenging and dark film that can be hard to stomach but easy to become immersed in. The excellent execution of an already intriguing concept mixed with its riveting narrative twists keeps much of The Platform a grim tale that demands your attention. While the film does stumble due to some metaphorical symbolism and a third-act that lacks a memorable payoff, The Platform is a thrilling and original film drenched in a thought-provoking commentary that will indeed hold the attention of most.

In the future, prisoners housed in vertical cells watch as inmates in the upper sections are fed while those below starve. The lower you are located in the tower, the least likely you are to eat. The Platform follows a prisoner named Goreng as he attempts to find out more about the hellish prison while he tries to escape.

On the surface, The Platform is a film that feels like it has a lot to say in its short running time, but writers David Desola and Pedro Rivero use this initial broad scope to their advantage, creating a first act that feels unpredictable before focusing its narrative on more specific and taxing themes. Many moments throughout The Platform could have fallen flat due to the ambitiousness of its commentary. Still, the combination of consistently riveting screenwriting and Gaztelu-Urrutia's grotesque and claustrophobic visuals keeps the film from ever feeling stale.

Although the cast, crew, and writers prove able to keep the narrative of The Platform from becoming tired and over-encumbered, the film does fall into a more ambiguous final act that lacks the same drive and momentum that the rest of the movie has. While this may result in an ambivalent reaction for some, the less graceful conclusion to The Platform, fortunately, does not take away from the moments leading up to it.

Overall, The Platform is a formidably bleak narrative that is both memorable and effective, despite a final third that lacks the consistently achieved impact. Gaztelu-Urrutia's directorial debut proves to be a thoughtful and sometimes poignant experience.

An inventive and captivating plot with fittingly oppressive visuals keeps The Platform a memorable and somewhat heavy film.

Produced By: Netflix
Runtime: 94 minutes
Rating: R