The Platform

Name: The Platform
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror
Released: March 20, 2020
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 73
Cast: Alexandra Masangkay, Algis Arlauskas, Antonia San Juan, Emilio Buale, Eric Goode

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 295 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 295 Ratings

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The Platform (US Trailer 1)

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Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): March 20, 2020 | TV-MA

Starring: Alexandra Masangkay, Algis Arlauskas, Antonia San Juan, Emilio Buale, Eric Goode, Ivan Massagué, Mario Pardo, Txubio Fernández de Jáuregui, Zihara Llana, Zorion Eguileor

Summary: In a future dystopia, prisoners housed in vertically stacked cells watch hungrily as food descends from above — feeding the upper tiers, but leaving those below ravenous and radicalized.

Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 94 min

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Critic Reviews

Carlos Aguilar

Mar 20, 2020

Formidable from a technical standpoint, The Platform thrives on effectively grotesque production design and ghastly special effects that shock and disgust with purpose. Read full review

Polygon Tasha Robinson

Mar 20, 2020

It’s a movie designed for people who like their future-fiction thoughtful and relevant, and for people who enjoy the runaway-train feeling of having no idea where a given story could possibly go next. Read full review

Barry Hertz

Mar 20, 2020

Extraordinarily gross, metaphorically blunt, but also perversely and wildly entertaining, the new Spanish splatter satire The Platform is the perfect movie to watch while the world seemingly teeters on the edge of existence. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Mar 20, 2020

As we see how society functions (or fails to do so) in the face of one of history’s most devastating crises, take some time out and watch The Platform, a funhouse mirror reflection of our world. Read full review

Jason Bailey

Mar 26, 2020

A gnarly mash-up of midnight movie and social commentary, the picture is overly overt but undeniably effective, delivering genre jolts and broad messaging in equal measure. Read full review

Amy Nicholson

Mar 20, 2020

Once the major ideas are on the table, the momentum wobbles and The Platform trades thrills for the empathetic weight of imprisonment. There’s more blood and less hope, though Aranzazu Calleja’s music box-inspired score can lighten the mood to that of a storybook fable. Read full review

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

Mar 20, 2020

If you want to watch an elaborate metaphor being wrung out like a bathing suit for an hour and a half, The Platform might be the film for you. Read full review

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User Reviews

LebongJames

Mar 22, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This one came out of left field for me. It has some similarities to the cult classic cube, but makes it's own identity for sure. It's about a prison tower stacked hundreds of stories tall, with one room with two people on each level. There is a hole in the center of the entire tower, where prisoners, some voluntary but most there by punishment, can see the levels below and above. There is a platform of lots of food that starts at the top of the tower, stopping at each level for a short time for the prisoners to eat before it moves down the tower. The further the platform goes down the tower, the less food and more trashed the food gets, and the people at the bottom get barely if any half eaten, leftover food. It is an allegory in ways about respecting the less fortunate and things like that. For me it was pretty gripping, if at times disturbing for sure, but I definitely recommend it if you can handle some mature themes.… Expand

8 of 13 users found this helpful85

FIghtDucksFIght

Mar 27, 2020

Relative to the majority of films deemed to be good; I consider this to be deserving of a much higher score than a six or seven. The performances are great despite the setting being almost entirely restricted. The theme(s) has been addressed many times before, 2015‘s high-rise comes toRelative to the majority of films deemed to be good; I consider this to be deserving of a much higher score than a six or seven. The performances are great despite the setting being almost entirely restricted. The theme(s) has been addressed many times before, 2015‘s high-rise comes to mind. High-rise is the significantly bigger film but resembles the platform in that class hierarchy is addressed in a manner that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. There are enough tangential story arcs going on that the film doesn’t ever feel like it’s talking down to the audience. It’s not David Lynch level open to interpretation or Parasite level excellence; but it’s a damn mother friggin nine. Nine I say!… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

OlivierPiel

May 13, 2020

The screenplay is original, inventive, but also deceptively profound. More importantly it conveys horror in a quite beautiful way. Its deafening austerity and quiet violence reminded of Paul Auster novels.
Maybe it is too ambitious and remains superficial in some aspects (especially itsThe screenplay is original, inventive, but also deceptively profound. More importantly it conveys horror in a quite beautiful way. Its deafening austerity and quiet violence reminded of Paul Auster novels.
Maybe it is too ambitious and remains superficial in some aspects (especially its ending), but it's a beautiful little "essay"on the human condition. It is also far superior to the similar social-economic satire, Parasite.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

Matwei123

Apr 6, 2022

Все говорят, что это плохой и непонятный фильм, но мне он зашёл! Особенно дед и вовремя подобранный саундтрек!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

dennisluvtennis

Oct 28, 2020

A great premise. Mind-bending in its commitment to the premise. Comes apart at the end with mystical cheating. But it was worth getting there.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Stream2BigScree

Apr 5, 2020

Welcome back quarantine-mates! I hope you all are staying safe out there and staying home. We'll continue to review some interesting flicks for you. This weekend we have for you Platform. It's from 2019, but it is just now hitting the pinnacle of Netflix lore in March of 2020. The ideaWelcome back quarantine-mates! I hope you all are staying safe out there and staying home. We'll continue to review some interesting flicks for you. This weekend we have for you Platform. It's from 2019, but it is just now hitting the pinnacle of Netflix lore in March of 2020. The idea behind Platform is that we follow Ivan Massague, as Goreng, as he's stuck in a "vertical prison" with one cell per level, 2 people per cell, and the only food provided to the cells comes down on a platform in the middle of the cell and two minutes per day to feed all of the levels. Let's see how Goreng's experience turns out.

First things first, I papa freaks all the hunnies.... bunnies. Wrong first thing. I digress. First, this movie is in Spanish, originally. I chose to watch with the dubbed English. I understand that creates a difficulty for some people. I suggest, if you watch this, put on the dubbed version and keep it pushing. The voices are annoying and the writing is tragic. If I hear the word "obviously" again in the next couple of days, I'm slapping that person on site! Those of you who watched know exactly what I mean.

Second, the idea of the movie is intriguing. For those horror/thriller cinephiles out there, picture a combination of the Cube series mixed with The Belko Experiment and Saw or Escape Room (minus games). Stating that, I've said too much but maybe I've also peaked your interest. If I take all the great points of those movies, then we'd be on the right track. Platform is not on that track. In the gory and gross categories, Platform can stand a slight chance. Otherwise, this movie lacks depth. Sure, the concept is interesting until you realize you're just watching a different version of the Cube with food (because how did those people in Cube survive without food?!... neither here nor there). It's ironic to say the movie lacks depth when the whole movie harps on how deep/far the platform goes down! The writers were on to something, but it feels like they just gave up half-way through and said, "Yeah this is too stupid even for us. Let's just get Netflix to pay us for content."

Finally, this movie lacks resolution and any real explanation. Even though my description states that it's a prison, Platform never explicitly acknowledges whether it really is a prison. Oh, these idiots are locked in alright but what country started this prison system. Shoot! This might be a more effective deterrent to crime than our actual system, but alas we'll never find out. Social experiment vs. Prison reform? You'll never find out.

Needless to say, thank God this movie came to streaming only. Forget that the movie has subtitles or poor dubbing, Platform has no direction. That’s difficult to say for a movie that literally just goes up and down for an hour and half. For my horror/thriller fans out there… you’ll get your handful of popcorn out of this but everyone else this is a single popped kernel that if you’re desperate and not squeamish I’d say pop in.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Nightgg

Aug 15, 2020

Holy **** **** of movie give me back my time, 3mendous zurhoyo. There are better things to do instead of wasting your time watching this ****

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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