In the current cinematic landscape where sequels are often found flooding our screens, few manage to recapture the essence and success of their originals. Among this tide of follow-ups stands Netflix’s latest offering, The Platform 2, the much-anticipated sequel to its Spanish dystopian thriller The Platform. During the pandemic, the original film captivated audiences with its thought-provoking narrative set within the chilling confines of a ‘Vertical Self-Management Center’. Here, residents were rotated among different floors each month and provided with sustenance via a platform descending from the top, carrying diminishing quantities of food as it progressed downward. This ingenious setup was rife with tension and allegorical commentary, earning it admiration and acclaim.
The Platform 2 attempts to delve deeper into the universe introduced in the first movie, albeit with mixed results. This time around, the sequel thrusts viewers directly into the midst of the chaos without offering the customary breather or recap to ease them into the sequel’s complexities. A new order has been supposedly instituted within this pit; inmates now select their preferred dishes beforehand and are obliged to stick to their choices or negotiate with others for an exchange. Despite this semblance of structure, predictably, not everyone adheres to the rules, setting the stage for a seething critique of societal systems.
The movie commendably retains some of the striking features that distinguished the original. It maintains a relentless pace that keeps viewers engaged despite the familiar, claustrophobic setting and limited cast. Much like its predecessor, The Platform 2 is imbued with symbolism, arguably to an even greater extent. As the rigid guidelines around food allocation disintegrate, protagonists Perempuan (Milena Smit) and Zamiatin (Hovik Keuchkerian) find themselves caught in an allegorical maelstrom reflecting society’s broader struggles. Their discovery of ‘the anointed ones’—figures praised for having encountered the enigmatic Master and tasked with upholding order—further enriches this social metaphor.
Religious and capitalist undertones form the thematic backbone of the series, and the sequel doesn’t shy away from their exposition.
. The storyline includes overt references to Christianity, such as the Master—a messianic figure—and Perempuan’s visions of The Last Supper’s reinterpretation. The insidious nod to 666 is made through the symbolism of a platform descending 333 levels, each inhabited by two inmates.
The trajectory of Perempuan, from an observer to a regime-enforcing cultist to a revolutionary, underscores some of the film’s most compelling moments. These developments showcase the filmmakers’ ability to weave a profound narrative, despite the plot’s overwhelming complexity. Noteworthy elements include her bond with a cellmate who babbles about imaginary numbers and later becomes her sole imaginary companion, paralleling themes from the first movie. It is this artful reflection of life within and outside the center that adds depth to the narrative, albeit sparsely.
While The Platform 2 strives to captivate, it struggles to capitalize on its finest moments. The fleeting nature of secondary characters hinders audience investment, contrasting sharply with the robust character interaction displayed in the original film with Goreng at its heart. The sequel falls short in humanizing its cast—a critical flaw, given their ostensibly noble mission to transcend their primal urges. The simplistic resolution of discord through violence by the loyalists, a group fixated on maintaining order, feels superficial compared to the intricate psychological dive that made its precursor effective.
In line with the fate of many sequels, the rationale for The Platform 2’s existence seems as sparse as the quantity of food reaching the bottommost levels of its dystopian construct. The English dubbing further diminishes the sequel’s appeal. Whereas The Platform felt like an expansive feast catering to varied tastes, its follow-up emerges as a restrictive meal, leaving much to be desired.
Despite these challenges, genre aficionados and those with a penchant for layered symbolism might find The Platform 2 worth a watch. Currently available on Netflix, it stands as a curious addition to the continuum of dystopian cinema.
