‘The Platform’ Explained: Dissecting the Ending and its Capitalist Allegory
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Platform’s ending.
Are you still trying to wrap your head around the perplexing ending of ‘The Platform’? If you’re anything like me, that ending left you in a state of bewilderment, craving answers. I found myself entangled in a labyrinth of theories, but none of them quite hit the mark. So, I dove deeper, meticulously dissecting each scene. And now, I present my very own interpretation of this cinematic masterpiece.
From the very start of the film, Goreng is depicted as a compassionate and empathetic individual. Despite the dire circumstances he finds himself in, he remains friendly and makes rational choices. His altruism not only preserves his own life but also lays the foundation for a daring endeavor to potentially save everyone.
This endeavor began when Goreng and Baharat ended up on the 6th floor together. Their mission was to ensure the fair distribution of food among the lower levels and send a powerful message. They embarked on a perilous journey downwards, but things took a grim turn when they faced brutal attacks and witnessed a harrowing murder. This incident became a turning point for Goreng, as he not only suffered a severe beating but also experienced deep psychological shock from witnessing the death of the woman who was supposedly searching for her child. It was particularly impactful because she had once saved his life, leading him to form an emotional attachment and even indulge in fantasies of intimacy with her.
As Goreng and Baharat continued their journey, weakened and disheartened, they realized the situation was even worse than they had imagined. The platform bypassed certain lower floors entirely, suggesting that individuals in the higher 200s or 300s likely resorted to suicide upon realizing their placement. But then, at floor 333, to their surprise, the platform finally came to a stop. There, they discovered a child who they assumed to be the one of the woman who died earlier.
Feeling sorry for the hungry child, Goreng gives her the dessert, which was their intended message they had worked so hard to save. However, as time passes, Goreng begins to believe that the child herself is the message, rather than the dessert. He thinks he has succeeded in conveying his intended message when he sends her up on the platform. But here’s the twist, which I believe to be true: the child isn’t even real.
In my interpretation, as Goreng reaches floor 333, his physical and mental state deteriorates to a point where he succumbs to intense delusions. He imagines the child and feeding her the dessert. This delusion may have emerged as a coping mechanism to deal with the loss of the woman and to avoid accepting the accusations that she lied about having a child. In reality, Goreng is all alone at the very bottom and eventually meets his demise. The dessert, on the other hand, remains uneaten and is sent back up on the platform, just as they had initially planned.
Now, let’s rewind to the 36th minute of the movie, a crucial moment for understanding the ending. In that scene, the dessert reaches the top, but the chefs mistakenly assume it was uneaten because of a single strand of hair. They remain completely clueless about Goreng’s intended message. It’s astonishing to think that all of Goreng’s tremendous efforts were dismissed and the true meaning of his message was entirely misunderstood, all because of a hair strand.
So, what was the purpose of this ending? What message was the director trying to convey? It’s that people living in a place of abundance simply cannot fathom the depths of desperation felt by those in need. The people above failed to grasp the extent of hunger and madness that drove those below to resort to cannibalism. It is truly astonishing to contemplate that they would refuse to consume a flawless dessert due to a minuscule hair found within it. This serves as a striking reminder of how disconnected and ignorant people can be to the harsh realities faced by others. It is a powerful commentary on the human condition, highlighting the stark disconnect and lack of understanding between the privileged and the deprived.