When a movie like The Platform hits Netflix and instantly becomes a global sensation, it’s tempting to wish for a sequel — and equally risky to make one. The original 2020 Spanish-language thriller felt like a tightly wrapped package: haunting, smart, and perfectly self-contained. So when Netflix announced The Platform 2, I was intrigued, but cautious.
Could it match the biting social commentary, claustrophobic dread, and brutal tension of the first film? Or would it fall into the trap of overexplaining what was better left ambiguous?
Thankfully, after watching The Platform 2 (not the best breakfast movie, I’ll admit), I can confidently say the sequel manages to expand the world of The Pit in compelling and thought-provoking ways. Though it doesn’t answer every question — and stumbles a bit in the final act — this follow-up still offers a rich, dark feast of ideas for those who loved the first.
Back to The Pit: Same Setting, Evolved Society
For those unfamiliar, The Platform introduced us to The Pit: a vertical prison with 333 floors, where a single platform loaded with food descends from the top floor to the bottom. Inmates are randomly rotated between levels every month, and while those on top dine like royalty, the ones below survive on scraps — if anything remains at all.
The original film followed Goreng (Iván Massagué), whose descent through the levels forced him to reckon with greed, survival, and sacrifice. The Platform was brutal, bleak, and unforgettable.
Now, The Platform 2 returns to the same hellish setting — but this time, it’s the people inside The Pit who have changed, not the structure itself.
A New Rule, A New Message
In the sequel, a new system has been introduced by a collective within the prison: prisoners are now only allowed to consume the one meal they personally selected at the start of their sentence. Any attempt to eat more — or take someone else’s food — leads to swift punishment from those enforcing the rules.
This change adds a fresh layer to the story. Instead of watching individuals desperately scavenge or hoard, we now see the dynamics of control, order, and resistance evolve within a chaotic system.
Enter our two new leads: Perempuan (played by Milena Smit) and Zamiatin (Hovik Keuchkerian). As newcomers to The Pit, they quickly learn the ropes and take on the role of enforcers — not to dominate, but to guide. Their mission is to convince skeptical fellow inmates that equality and cooperation might offer a way out of madness.
A Shift in Perspective: From Survival to Solidarity
While the first film focused on individual morality under pressure, The Platform 2 explores what happens when people choose to work together, even in a system designed to tear them apart.
This is where the sequel truly shines. It retains the grim tone and grotesque visuals of the original but shifts the lens from one person’s fight for meaning to a group’s effort to create it. Themes of unity, sacrifice, and collective struggle replace pure survivalism.
That said, it’s not exactly a feel-good film. Violence, despair, and dark turns still dominate the narrative. But the idea that change might be possible — even in a place as hopeless as The Pit — adds a new philosophical edge.
Stronger Characters, Deeper Conflict
One of the original movie’s few weaknesses was its limited character development. Goreng was compelling, but the film focused more on The Pit as a concept than on the people inside it.
The Platform 2 improves on this by taking its time with Perempuan and Zamiatin. Both characters are flawed, haunted, and not easily categorized as heroes or villains. Their evolving dynamic — and the emotional cost of trying to enforce a fragile peace — gives the story weight and urgency.
Flashbacks and side characters help add context, making this version of The Pit feel more lived-in, and more human. While the world remains grotesque and surreal, its inhabitants feel more real than ever.
Vicious, Visceral, and Full of Meaning
Let’s be clear: The Platform 2 is not for the faint of heart. The violence is raw, the visuals are sometimes disturbing, and the film pulls no punches when it comes to its critique of greed, hierarchy, and human nature. If the first film made you uncomfortable, this one likely will too — and that’s the point.
What’s different here is the added sense of purpose behind the brutality. In the original, cruelty felt inevitable. In the sequel, it feels like a test: can cooperation survive in a place built to reward selfishness?
The film’s central metaphor — a platform of food moving down a tower while those above indulge and those below suffer — still hits hard, especially in today’s divided world. And while the critique of capitalism isn’t subtle, it remains effective, offering plenty for viewers to chew on long after the credits roll.
A Vague Ending, But a Satisfying Journey
The only major misstep in The Platform 2 is its final act, which leans too heavily into ambiguity. Some viewers may find the ending too abstract or unresolved. It doesn’t offer neat answers or clear resolutions — which, depending on your taste, could be either frustrating or fitting.
Personally, I found the journey itself rewarding enough that I didn’t mind the lack of clarity. The film remains loyal to its unsettling tone, and it wisely avoids the temptation to tie everything up in a bow.
After all, The Platform has never been about comfort. It’s about reflection — and that’s exactly what The Platform 2 continues to offer.
Should You Watch It?
If you didn’t enjoy The Platform, the sequel won’t win you over. It’s every bit as brutal, bizarre, and allegorical as the original — and it assumes you’ve already seen it. This is not a standalone story; it’s a direct continuation that’s rich with callbacks and thematic echoes.
But for fans of the original, The Platform 2 delivers exactly what a good sequel should: a fresh perspective, deeper character work, and a natural evolution of its core idea. It doesn’t try to explain too much, nor does it rely purely on shock value. It trusts the viewer to engage — to think, feel, and question.
Final Verdict
The Platform 2 is a disturbing, thought-provoking return to one of Netflix’s most unforgettable dystopias. It may not surpass the original in shock or novelty, but it builds on its themes in bold, meaningful ways.
It’s the kind of film that leaves a bitter taste — but also makes you hungry for conversation. And in that sense, it’s a sequel worth serving.
