Apologies to fans of Super Mario, as this compilation will focus less on traditional platforms. The essence of The Platform transcends its literal meaning, representing a metaphor for class disparity. Are you in search of cinematic depictions of social inequality and its ensuing violence? Here are ten top films that resonate with the themes of The Platform, listed in order of their relevance.
10. Ready Or Not (2019)
Ready Or Not is a horror-comedy that scrutinizes one of the most insidious social circles imaginable: in-laws. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the storyline follows a young woman on the brink of joining an old-money family with their peculiarities. Their eccentricities are not just harmless quirks; they compel their new daughter-in-law to partake in a lethal game of hide and seek, where capture means being sacrificed to a demon. This film highlights the moral decay associated with wealth, as the family’s fortune is intricately linked to dark forces.
9. Cube (1997)
In Vincenzo Natali’s Cube, the narrative unfolds within a complex 3D structure. The characters awaken to a perilous maze filled with lethal traps, forcing them to collaborate to navigate their escape. The cube can symbolize various themes, perhaps acting as an analogy for the relentless rat race of modern existence, where individuals vie for escape at one another’s expense, or as a bizarre governmental experiment. When it comes to deadly traps, interpretations are subject to debate.
8. The Menu (2022)
In Mark Mylod’s The Menu, a meal becomes a vehicle for social commentary against the elite. Patrons at a famous chef’s private island discover their extravagant dinner will serve more than just culinary exploration. The chef’s plan involves torturing the affluent over a lavish dinner, while a lone underprivileged attendee grapples with the unfolding horror. This film accentuates a critical aspect often overlooked in tales of revolution: innocents can suffer amidst class conflict.
7. Battle Royale (2000)
Long before The Hunger Games, there was Battle Royale, directed by Kinji Fukasaku. This survival thriller takes us to a dystopian Japan, where a class of middle school students is exiled to an island to fight to the death until one victor emerges. With explosively lethal devices, weapons, and shocking circumstances, this film symbolizes the harshness of a cutthroat educational system that demands excellence at the cost of mental well-being.
6. Saw (2004)
Before it spiraled into a franchise known for its graphic depictions of violence, James Wan’s Saw had a message worth noting. Two men find themselves shackled within a bathroom and are compelled to partake in a deadly game dictated by a mysterious killer. Like The Platform, Saw explores the extremes individuals will reach for survival, though with less clarity on the circumstances surrounding their captivity. The unanswered questions loom ominously: what led to their imprisonment, and who is the lifeless figure on the floor?
5. Us (2019)
Jordan Peele’s Us depicts an uprising of the oppressed against those in a more privileged position. In this narrative, the antagonists aren’t affluent societal elites but rather ordinary citizens surviving daily struggles. A vacationing family faces off against doppelgängers intent on replacing them, leading to a fight for their lives. It’s a home invasion narrative that underscores the unexpected consequences of the class divide and the struggle for survival in an unforgiving world.
4. Coherence (2013)
If you believe The Platform and The Menu were chaotic, James Ward Byrkit’s Coherence presents an even more disastrous dinner gathering. A group of friends in a suburban setting experiences a cosmic upheaval as a comet triggers disruptions in time and reality. As alternate realities begin to collide, various versions of the friends appear, revealing that not all visitors harbor friendly intentions.
3. Snowpiercer (2013)
In Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer, the harsh realities of social class persist even in a post-apocalyptic world. Following a catastrophic climate event that entrenched Earth in ice, humanity’s remnants reside on a perpetually moving train. The affluent enjoy luxurious lives at the front, while the less fortunate endure grueling conditions in the rear, until they decide to incite a rebellion against the oppressive system. That pivotal moment is now upon them.
2. District 9 (2009)
Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 delves into themes of class and xenophobia through science fiction. After alien refugees resemble crustaceans land above South Africa, they are forcibly relocated into dire living conditions. When a bureaucrat exposed to an alien chemical begins transforming, he experiences the dehumanizing apartheid-like environment firsthand. This narrative profoundly explores the journey from oppressor to oppressed, revealing the empathy shared by these supposedly alien beings.
1. Parasite (2019)
Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite epitomizes social commentary centered on class differences. The narrative follows the impoverished Kim family in South Korea as they cleverly infiltrate a wealthy family’s employment circle. Their success leads to prosperity, unbeknownst to the affluent Park family about the Kims’ dubious methods. However, tranquility shatters when they discover another family secretly residing in the Park’s basement, compelling the Kims to confront the encroachers if they’re to preserve their newfound livelihood.
Parasite depicts the brutal struggle individuals endure to safeguard their status and prevent others from encroaching upon their existence.
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