A mysterious place, an indescribable prison, a deep hole. An unknown number of levels. Two inmates living on each level. A descending platform containing food for all of them. An inhuman fight for survival, but also an opportunity for solidarity…
This movie contains 78 potentially triggering events.
Not outright stated, but (SPOILER, end of the movie) the main character eventually seems to be at peace and friendly with a hallucination of the man who tried to torture/kill him
A female character voluntarily enters the prison, not knowing the extent of the conditions. There is a conversation about her having been brainwashed by the Administration.
+ Montage in very beginning of film wherein shots of stripped cow and pig skulls are shown. Lobsters and cooked meats are shown on the platform throughout the movie. + Throughout the film, the eating of snails is brought up as a symbolic metaphor and used to justify cannibalism. This comparison may be distressing to vegan/vegetarians. + Dog death. SKIP (50:39-51:08) DETAILS FOLLOW SCROLL TO NEXT "+" TO AVOID: The character Miharu kills Imoguiri's "sausage dog" (dachshund) Ramesses II. The killing is done off-screen but Imoguiri is clearly distraught. There is a graphic shot of evidence of the murder. It is brief but upsetting. As the film goes on, it is clear that this vicious killing has damaged Imoguiri irreparably. + At around the (55 minute mark), Imoguiri refuses to eat from the platform, stating it's Ramesses II's turn to eat. As a dachshund owner, this scene was particularly hard-hitting. At (56:17) it's shown Imoguiri has become a victim of suicide by hanging. + Around 53:41 are shots of snails, first alive and then being prepared as a dish for the platform. In the following scene, hands are seen tearing at various dishes made from animals, obviously meant to be grotesque and disgusting. The main character finds the snails at 55:10 and eats them.
+ Montage in very beginning of film wherein shots of stripped cow and pig skulls are shown. Lobsters and cooked meats are shown on the platform throughout the movie.
+ Throughout the film, the eating of snails is brought up as a symbolic metaphor and used to justify cannibalism. This comparison may be distressing to vegan/vegetarians.
+ Dog death. SKIP (50:39-51:08)
DETAILS FOLLOW SCROLL TO NEXT "+" TO AVOID: The character Miharu kills Imoguiri's "sausage dog" (dachshund) Ramesses II. The killing is done off-screen but Imoguiri is clearly distraught. There is a graphic shot of evidence of the murder. It is brief but upsetting. As the film goes on, it is clear that this vicious killing has damaged Imoguiri irreparably.
+ At around the (55 minute mark), Imoguiri refuses to eat from the platform, stating it's Ramesses II's turn to eat. As a dachshund owner, this scene was particularly hard-hitting. At (56:17) it's shown Imoguiri has become a victim of suicide by hanging.
+ Around 53:41 are shots of snails, first alive and then being prepared as a dish for the platform. In the following scene, hands are seen tearing at various dishes made from animals, obviously meant to be grotesque and disgusting. The main character finds the snails at 55:10 and eats them.
There is a woman who rides the platform up and down, and not without assault from other individuals in the facility (who are predominantly men).
It is mentioned that these men might "keep her for a few days".
the character tied up head to toe is the most graphic/intense instance of restraint, but there are other scenes where characters physically hold each other back/down, some of which get quite violent
a man gets stabbed in the throat around the middle of the movie, and is seen very graphically bleeding from it, the stabbing scene is very clear and up close
It occurs on one of the lower levels, when the MC and his friend ride the platform down and get into a fight with two men, one of which has a sword. (The person who is decapitated is one of these two men).
The scene is brief, but sudden. It occurs when there is a closeup shot of the MC pinned down, and the head rolls close to them.
Not sure if they show the rest of the body in detail, as I looked away myself.
There is a scene later on in the film where the MC rides the platform down to the lowest levels. On one of the lower levels, there is a body that has been completely cut in half by the platform going down, with visible blood trailing down the platform.
Which this isn't seen occuring, it's clear what happened.
not really, but the main character is tied to a bed and while being held down with a knife (during a cannibalism scene), he is told that his penis could be eaten and it’s definitely worth avoiding if this is a trigger
The main character is punched repeatedly in the face and after that constantly has blood dripping from his mouth, but it is not obvious that his teeth are damaged.
unclear. a child is sent to the top of the platform as a message and it is not specified what happens to her on the journey or after she reaches the top
Not conventionally 'priceless', but extremely useful and potentially the key to freedom.
Later in the movie a character loses an item that could've been essential to them escaping and he seems very distressed after the fact. He then appears depressed, but is quickly convinced by someone else to try another way out and he appears very cheered up. The lost item is never brought up again.
SPOILER, NATURE OF THE ARTIFACT: the object is a rope that the character intended to use to climb to the higher level; he's betrayed during his attempt and the rope falls to the abyss.
It's clear that the mental state of many of the inhabits of the facility has been affected by their confinement-- and that many of them may have had mental health issues going into this as well.
The MC's first cellmate in particular counts for this, and I believe that he openly mentions that his mental health was discussed after a breakdown before coming to the facility.
throughout the film people who are under extreme psychological distress are violent to one another to the point of graphic mutilation, assault, murder and cannibalism. The main character experiences hallucinations throughout the film as a result of the stress he is under and is violent throughout the film. To the best of my knowledge, no specific mental illnesses are ever mentioned or used to explain violent behaviour.
Lots of obnoxiously loud chewing and slurping. Starving people eating cakes with their hands while having a conversation. Loud throaty spitting, etc.
Not fun 😅
+ There are repeated mentions throughout film of people "choosing death" over their situation. Several bodies are seen falling down the shaft of the hole.
+ SKIP (56:17-56:47) Imoguiri becomes a victim of suicide by hanging.
+ (SKIP 58:35) Goreng retrieves a shard of glass from the platform but uses it to scratch notches into the wall to count the days.
As someone with epilepsy, I was able to withstand the flashing in the movie, personally. It only lasts for about 13 seconds at the very ending scene of the movie, from [1:29:33], to [1:29:46]. It flashes between red, tan, and black. For those with epilepsy, please be aware and careful.
There is a character with a disability who is shown in a very stereotypic way than can be upsetting (SPOILER mentally disabled man being violent and mindless) but it’s a small scene than can be skipped without losing plot
In the first 20 minutes there is a brief cut of one male cell mate naked while waiting for his clothes to dry, followed shortly by both male cell mates stretching/doing yoga (?) naked. Buttocks are seen, and minor flashes of penis.