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The Platform

The Platform

There are 3 kinds of people; the ones above, the ones below, and the ones who fall.

201994 minTV-MAMidcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Director
Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Starring
Ivan Massagué, Antonia San Juan, Zorion Eguileor, Emilio Buale

A slab of food descends down a vertical facility. The residents above eat heartily, leaving those below starving and desperate. A rebellion is imminent.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Platform?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Platform streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Platform?

The Platform earns 11 badges, led by Top 5% in Horror and Crowd Pleaser.

Show 3 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is The Platform worth watching?

The Platform's Midcredits score is the 81st percentile of all films, from 339K ratings across 2 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

81st percentile

Better received than 81% of films

97th percentile among Horror81st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)79th
Approval (how many liked it)80th

70 /100

79th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Horror78th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

71% liked it

80th percentile of all films

95th percentile among Horror81st percentile among 2010s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 9 wins / 24 noms overall

98th percentile

331K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Horror98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$1.1M

59th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A grim vertical-prison allegory about class and greed, where enough food exists for everyone yet selfishness and hierarchy ensure the lower levels starve.

Fans praised

  • provocative social allegory that mirrors class inequality
  • gripping high-concept premise with relentless tension
  • strong lead performance from Ivan Massagué

Detractors panned

  • unresolved, unsatisfying ending that feels rushed
  • heavy-handed and obvious social commentary
  • ambiguous plot and unanswered questions about the world

What stands out

Atmosphere80

oppressive, claustrophobic dread throughout

Originality78

highly inventive premise despite echoes of Cube and Snowpiercer

Tension74

relentless survival suspense

Acting72

solid performances carry the confined setting

Pacing67

tight first half, loses momentum in final act

Plot and storyDivisive62

strong premise but many unresolved questions and a divisive ending

Characters58

symbolic archetypes but thin on personal depth

Ending25

widely panned as unsatisfying, rushed, and ambiguous

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Platform like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want every question answered.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseCathartic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsBrutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its brutal allegory absolutely straight, with no irony or distance from its grim material.
The rideThe film maintains a constant pressure of dread and tension from the first cell to the final level, with only brief releases.
StructureThe story follows Goreng chronologically through his months in the pit, from arrival to final descent.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's stark allegory for inequality and its ambiguous ending leave you haunted and debating its meaning long after.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeGoreng's journey downward to change the system and rescue the girl is a quest, with the oppressive prison as the monster.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% (this title) · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Community · 14% of filmsClass · 3% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how a society built on extreme inequality breaks collective bonds and asks whether shared responsibility can be reclaimed from the bottom up.
StanceThe film satirizes the notion of community and shared responsibility by showing how the system's design inevitably corrupts any attempt at solidarity.

The world

Near futureInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernExperimentalSupportive music · original score · Aránzazu Calleja
SettingA vertical prison known as the Pit, where each level is a concrete cell and a descending platform delivers food.
MusicThe score uses eerie strings and dissonant tones to reinforce the pit's oppressive atmosphere.

Content guide

Is The Platform okay for kids?

TV-MA

The Platform is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (96/100), sexual content at intense (64/100), language at moderate (46/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (32/100) and frightening material at severe (93/100). Overall it is heavier than 91% of TV-MA films.

Ratings in 42 other countries
  • UK18
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaR 18+
  • Germany18
  • France18
  • Ireland18
  • New ZealandR18
  • JapanR15+
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina+18
  • CL18
  • Czechia18+
  • FinlandK-18
  • GreeceK18
  • Hong KongIII
  • Hungary18
  • IndiaA
  • Israel18
  • ItalyVM18
  • LTN-18
  • LU16
  • LV18+
  • MexicoC
  • MY18SG
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway18
  • PhilippinesR-18
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/18
  • PRR
  • RO18+
  • SingaporeR21
  • SK18
  • South Africa18
  • Spain18
  • Switzerland18
  • Taiwan18+
  • TH18
  • Türkiye18+
  • UA18+
  • VIR
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 91% of all filmsHeavier than 91% of TV-MA films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA film
heavier than 95%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-MA film
heavier than 81%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA film
heavier than 27%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a TV-MA film
heavier than 30%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA film
heavier than 97%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, frightening material, and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Platform have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Platform?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Ivan Massagué
as Goreng
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Antonia San Juan
as Imoguiri
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Zorion Eguileor
as Trimagasi
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Emilio Buale
as Baharat
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Alexandra Masangkay
as Miharu
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Zihara Llana
as Mali
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Mario Pardo
as Amigo de Baharat
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Algis Arlauskas
as Preso
Txubio Fernández de Jáuregui
as Jefe de Restaurante
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Eric Goode
as Sr. Brambang
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Platform?

Movies like The Platform include The Platform 2 (2024), Soylent Green (1973) and The Purge (2013). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, and most are films set in the near future.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its world: dystopian. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Platform?

506 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: prison escape. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.