El hoyo 2: A Dark Reflection on Society’s Persistent Inequality

El hoyo 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia's 2019 film, El hoyo, which quickly became a potent metaphor for capitalism, human nature, and societal collapse, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The original film's allegorical nature, representing the harsh realities of privilege and inequality, resonated deeply with audiences. Now, five years later, El hoyo 2 returns, revisiting the haunting premise that drew so many eyes the first time around.

The original El hoyo depicted a vertical prison-like structure with 333 floors, each occupied by two people, totaling 666 prisoners. A platform with food descended each day, and those at the top had the option of taking what they needed or indulging in more. The fate of those below depended entirely on the choices made by those above. This powerful, stark depiction of human selfishness and the consequences of unchecked greed mirrored real-world issues like capitalism, social inequality, and even the panic-driven hoarding of resources, as seen during the pandemic’s toilet paper crisis.

El hoyo stood out because of its bluntness—there was no need for complex interpretations. The hole represented everything wrong with our modern world, from class hierarchies to the inherent selfishness within society. Gaztelu-Urrutia’s first film left a lasting impression, making its follow-up, El hoyo 2, eagerly awaited by fans.

At the San Sebastián Film Festival, the director admitted that he initially promised himself not to return to the world of El hoyo, feeling creatively exhausted. However, he broke this promise, stating, "I had no choice." This sense of inevitability, the idea of being trapped by the circumstances of the world, echoes the film’s themes and perfectly reflects the overwhelming, unchangeable nature of the system it critiques.

While the original film focused on the mechanics of the platform and the choices individuals made with their food, El hoyo 2 expands on the ideological underpinnings that drive these systems. Instead of merely focusing on food distribution, the sequel explores the various political, economic, and philosophical theories that have arisen to justify or address inequality, such as collectivism, liberalism, and capitalism. In this new chapter, the question is no longer just about how resources are distributed, but why societies continue to justify the systems that perpetuate inequality and suffering.

The film portrays a grim reality: no matter the system—be it capitalism or collectivism—human selfishness persists. This sequel emphasizes that, despite countless attempts at reform or new ideologies, society seems destined to fail repeatedly. The film critiques how civilization, despite its lofty ideals, is often driven by self-interest, making it impossible for true equity or justice to take hold.