Imagine a world where your survival depends solely on your position in a towering vertical prison. A descending platform delivers food to each level, but the higher you are, the more you receive. Those at the bottom starve, while those at the top feast. This is the chilling premise of The Platform 2, a sequel that plunges viewers into a dystopian nightmare of social inequality and human depravity.

Brief Summary – Spoiler Alert

The film takes place in a vertical prison where inmates are ranked according to their level, with those at the top receiving the most food and those at the bottom enduring starvation. The central plot revolves around a group of new inmates who must navigate the treacherous hierarchy and confront the horrifying consequences of the system.

Key Scenes and Meanings

1. The Descent: The film opens with a harrowing sequence as new inmates are lowered into the depths of the prison. This descent symbolizes their journey into a world of despair and uncertainty, foreshadowing the horrors they will encounter.
2. The Feast: The scenes of the inmates at the top feasting on lavish meals while those below starve highlight the stark contrast between privilege and deprivation. This imagery serves as a powerful commentary on social inequality and the exploitation of the vulnerable.
3. The Ritual: A disturbing ritual emerges among the inmates, involving the sacrifice of a fellow prisoner. This scene explores the depths of human cruelty and the lengths to which people will go to survive in extreme circumstances.
4. The Rebellion: As the film progresses, a sense of rebellion begins to grow among the inmates. This represents a glimmer of hope amidst the despair, suggesting that even in the face of overwhelming adversity, individuals can find the courage to resist oppression.

Themes of the Platform 2

• Social Inequality: The Platform 2 is a scathing critique of social inequality. The film’s depiction of the hierarchical prison system mirrors the real-world disparities between the rich and the poor, highlighting the injustice and exploitation that often result.
• Human Nature: The film explores the darker aspects of human nature, revealing the potential for cruelty, violence, and cannibalism when basic needs are unmet. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked desperation.
• Religion and Faith: A new element introduced in The Platform 2 is the role of religion. The film examines the potential for faith to both unite and divide people, exploring the complexities of belief in extreme circumstances.
• Hope and Resistance: Despite the overwhelming despair, the film offers a glimmer of hope through the acts of resistance and solidarity among the inmates. This suggests that even in the darkest of times, individuals can find the strength to challenge injustice and strive for a better future.

A Deeper Dive Into the Platform 2

Beyond these overarching themes, The Platform 2 is a film rich in symbolism and subtext. The vertical structure of the prison, for instance, represents the hierarchical nature of society, with those at the top exerting power over those below. The descending platform itself serves as a metaphor for the inevitable decline of empires and the cyclical nature of history.

The characters in The Platform 2 are complex and multifaceted. Goreng, the protagonist from the first film, returns in a more subdued role, reflecting the disillusionment that comes with witnessing the horrors of the system. New characters, such as the enigmatic Trimagasi and the idealistic Baharat, introduce fresh perspectives and challenge the status quo.

As Perempuán (Milena Smit) endures the harsh realities of prison life, she gradually realizes the cruelty of its laws. Initially complicit, she even helps to enforce them. However, when she becomes a victim of Babi’s (Óscar Jaenada) arbitrary punishment, her perspective shifts, and she begins to rebel against the oppressive regime

Rather than conform to the system, Perempuán decides to follow the escape plan of her deceased cellmate, Natalia Tena. Natalia revealed that the prison uses sevoflurane gas monthly during cell rearrangements. She advised, ‘When we smell the gas, that’s our chance. They’ll think we’re dead, but we’ll wake up. Let them take us out with the corpses, and then we’ll improvise.’

After eliminating Babi and his supporters, Perempuán uses a breathing filter to feign death. During the monthly changeover, while the prison is suspended in anti-gravity, she wakes up amidst a pile of corpses being transported to the bottom cell. Witnessing a child trapped in the lowest level, cell 333, Perempuán risks her own life to rescue him.

The Platform 2: Does She Survive?

It’s not made explicit, but it seems almost certain that Perempuán is dead at the end of The Platform 2. During her attempt to save the child she continuously hits her head against the side of the concrete prison while trying to float upwards, losing a lot of blood on the way.

In the movie’s final sequence, she descends with the child into the black depths below the pit, where other dead characters are waiting to greet her.