Start date: October 4th, 2024 | Netflix
Social criticism on a silver platter!
Intended as a biting parable about social inequality, the Spanish Netflix original “Der Schacht” from 2019 quickly mutated into an audience favorite, despite the half-baked mix of trite social criticism and tiresomely brutal FSK 18–Horror was hardly convincing in terms of quality. Would have Der Watchdog had already opened its digital doors at this point, a review for the tough sci-fi horror would hardly have had more than a one and a half star rating. But success remains success – and this often leads to a continuation. Accordingly, there is little surprise with “Der Schacht 2” five years after the first film more of the same – and that’s exactly where the problem begins.
The Shaft 2 ©Nicolas Dassas/Netflix
And that’s what it’s about…
In a bleak future scenario, a young woman (Milena Smit) finds herself in a vertical prison system consisting of different levels. There are two inmates on each level who receive food every day from a platform that travels from top to bottom through the shaft. In the few minutes that the platform pauses on each level, you can eat whatever you want. The deeper you go, the less is left – at least that was the case in the past. However, times have changed. To address the injustice, new rules have been introduced, with significant penalties for non-compliance. But not everyone seems to agree with this, which leads to a bloody revolution!
If you know one level, you know all levels!
The simple premise of “The Shaft” is quickly explained – and no less quickly told: In a dark, vertical prison, the inmates fight for what is left of a platform that is freshly loaded with food every day on their way down. At the top you feast in abundance, at the bottom you starve – capitalism and class differences greet you. Greed reigns, solidarity is rare and moral decisions become a brutal question of survival. As a short film, it’s a successful allegory about life – quickly tiring in the guise of a full-length feature film. Social criticism on a serving plate without a false bottom and without subtext is now also available in “Der Schacht 2”. Equal opportunities remain an illusion, the new supposedly moral rules confirm what part one already showed: man is and remains a barbarian.
The Shaft 2 ©Nicolas Dassas/Netflix
Because “Der Schacht 2” is also a bleak, pseudo-intellectual one Cube– It’s a copy, even the minimal innovations don’t change anything. There is never any tension during the confusingly narrated hour and a half. The dialogue is too wooden, the sequence of actions is too staccato, and the characters are never tangible enough. Cheesy social criticism, pseudo-philosophical statements and confusing scenes of violence come into their own without any sense of dramaturgy or time and are more strenuous than captivating. This becomes a particular problem when the inconsistency in adhering to one’s own internal logic increases. All of this makes “The Shaft 2” not only illogical, but also unnecessarily confusing, which means that the sequel could become a test of patience even for those who still want the first part – and that until the unsatisfying end!
The Shaft 2 ©Nicolas Dassas/Netflix
Conclusion
Despite a marginal change, “Der Schacht 2” offers more of the same and is also presented in an unnecessarily confusing manner!
⭐⭐
Rating: 1.5 out of 5.
How did you like “The Shaft 2”?
