Grade: B+
In a world full of American “Hunger Games” and British “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” Netflix releases its first Brazilian dystopian story, and it is impressive.
Although the dystopian entertainment market is way too saturated because the same story is being told over and over, “3%” actually stands out. The new series actually shows different perspectives and has a terrifying message behind it.
Is meritocracy the right way to handle a society divided in classes? Is it fairer than hereditary systems, in which descendents enjoy the wealth and power gained by their predecessors without having to work for it? Should everyone be tested?
Based on a web series published first on YouTube, it tells the story of a crushed world in which only 3 percent of the population gets a chance of a good life in a separate island. To qualify, they must pass the Process, which they are able to participate in when they turn 20. The other 97 percent of the population lives in the Continent, a degraded version of Brazil with poor living conditions.
Pedro Aguilera, creator of the project, said in an interview with the Brazilian blog “Omelete” that he tried to put on the screen a few of the anxieties lived by so many Brazilian teenagers, like which major they are going to choose and taking standardized tests, in crucial moments of their lives.
You can clearly see what he meant in light of the various tests the candidates in the show need to pass in order to pass the Process.
One of them — and for me the most terrifying of them all — was the one where about 20 people were confined to a dorm with limited food. As time passed, some of them decided to take the lead and try different ways of getting out. Once they realized there was no extra food coming, some of them formed a gang, stole the food from other contestants and even left some dead along the way.
The organizers of the Process wanted to see how far they’d go and how much they wanted to pass. One participant even said during the test how it resembled a little society, and they had to put order into it.
In the first half of the first, which is available in its entirety on Netflix, we are introduced to the Process and the main characters, and we are able to see how the whole system works.
One thing I must admit, though, is it has way too many elements of previously released dystopian fiction, like the “Hunger Games” franchise and the “Divergent” series. They even also have a group of rebels that decide to riot against the oppressive system and spread ideas of equality. I guess that is just what people do when living in such hostile environments.
In the end, one thing is certain: The last episode will absolutely blow your mind.
I was amazed by how well they kept the secret that explains everything and how they delivered it in the end. I believe all the final characters, the ones who made it through the “Process” and the ones who didn’t, have stories left to be told in a possible second season.
As of right now, Netflix has not announced a second season, but I’m excited to see what the future offers.
“3%” is available on Netflix in Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish and English.
