Triangle (2009): A Film that Would Make Pythagorus Give Up Math

As a general rule, no one likes making the same mistake twice. Most people tend to try and better themselves and break free of destructive patterns, but sometimes they are too strong and pull us back in time and time again. At the core, that is what Christopher Smith’s 2009 film Triangle explores. I’ve had this film on my radar for a while as well as Smith’s other well known film 2006’s Severance, but until now, I haven’t had a chance to fit one of them into my viewing. I can practically guarantee that now I will be going back to look over his whole filmography and anxiously await the 2010 release of his new film Black Death. Before I get into talking about Triangle, I want to stress that I am going to desperately strive to make this a spoiler free review, but this film is going to be very tricky to discuss. However, I would not want to ruin a second of this film for anyone who hasn’t seen it. For those of you who have, I would love to discuss it in the comments section.

Seeing as the film is called Triangle and it has to do with boating, the Bermuda Triangle of course springs to mind quite quickly, but the film never expressly states it has anything to do with that mysterious area though from the events that unfold it is easy to assume that it does. More plainly the film gets it name from the boat ‘Triangle’ where single mother of an autistic child Jess (Melissa George) is meeting Greg (Michael Dorman) and four other friends for an afternoon pleasure cruise. Their day at sea comes to an abrupt halt when the wind suddenly dies out, and the tiny yacht is rocked by an electrical storm that moves in from nowhere. The five survivors are set adrift on the upturned boat until a massive cruise liner named the Aeolus appears from out of nowhere. They find the ship empty, but soon someone is trying to kill all of them leaving only Jess alive to fight the masked gunman. After Jess battles the killer off the side of the ship, she hears cries from off the bow of the ship and sees herself and her friends climbing aboard the Aeolus again.

I think that is about all I could possibly say about the plot without venturing into spoiler territory. Triangle is a film that could concern time travel, mental breakdowns or schizophrenia, or a damnation of the sort not seen since the Greeks got their hands on the idea of eternal punishment. I say that it could concern all of those things because honestly, after a single viewing, I can’t say for certainty which of those that it derives more of an inspiration from. The film that I’m sure Triangle will be most compared to is Timecrimes, which is in and of itself a befuddling experience in time travel. However, I think there is little comparison beyond killers with a bag over their head. Both films play with the perception of time, but where Timecrimes all but spells out the whys and hows of the events that occur, Triangle leaves much up to the interpretation of the viewer. Overall, a fairer comparison could be made to The Shining, a film that clearly influenced Mr. Smith.

That being said, I want to make it clear that Triangle is not a film to put on while you’re clipping coupons or diddling around with your Facebook. It requires your undivided attention to detail so it can unfold its story. Nearly every detail in the film is important, and the more intently you watch it, the more rewarding the outcome of the film will be. Christopher Smith doubled as both the writer and director of Triangle, and on both fronts he made a film that stands up with some of the best edge of your seat thrillers. Each time I thought I had this film figured out or trapped in its own created paradoxes, I soon encountered either an explanation or another mystery that I could not wait to see unfold. Very seldom do I use the word ’rapt’ to describe how I felt during a film, but this time it seems to suit both my response and the film quite perfectly.

While the scripting and direction (which I have more to say about later) were both spot on, none of it could have been possible without the powerhouse performance of Melissa George. The Australian born actress has made several noteworthy appearances before in films like Mulholland Drive, Turistas, and 30 Days of Night as well as runs of TV in shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and In Treatment, but I find it hard to believe she has ever given such an emotional and gripping performance as in Triangle. Her character Jess is the only constant throughout, and while all the actors are fine, we get to know very little of them. Jess is the core of the story, and as such, Ms. George carries the weight of the whole film on her back. If we are to believe the events transpiring or really get tied up in it, we must sympathize greatly with her character. I found it very easy to do, and that might well be the best trick the film has to offer.

I said I wanted to say more about Chris Smith’s directing, and I don’t want to make a liar out of myself. I haven’t seen a movie this tense that unfolds in the light of day since I sat down to watch And Soon the Darkness some time ago. From the sun-drenched decks of the Aeolus to the bowels of the engine room, Smith creates a heavy atmosphere that is pervasive and smothering. While there are a few nifty camera tricks thrown in, they were not distracting at all, and if anything, they added to the story immensely to illustrate to the audience what was going on without ever needing to explain it. In fiction writing, a common piece of advice is to “show, don’t tell”, and Triangle should be at the top of the list for how to do that right. Even when there is exposition, of which there is little, it only adds to the layers of the story rather than holding your hand.

If I had made a best of 2009 list (and seen this in ’09 for that matter), I have a sneaking suspicion Triangle would have taken one of the two top spots. I can’t rightfully say it was the best film of 2009, but it is by far the best film I have seen in quite some time. From top to bottom this is a film that deserves the attention of any film lover. I know that in a couple of days after I let it sink in; I’ll be ready to see this one again. That my friends would be no repeated mistake, but another chance to spot more clues, to derive more meaning, and to be thrilled once more by a film that far exceeded my expectations. So if you feel like you’re caught in a destructive cycle of crap films (maybe you watched Nightmare on Elm Street 2010), then break the pattern and track Triangle down so you can break free.

Bugg Rating