Triangle (DVD)

Triangle is the sort of film that wants your brain to hurt after watching it, while you try and slot the pieces together and work out exactly what’s been going on and why.

Despite seeming rather disturbed, Jess heads off for a day’s sailing with some of her friends. However once out on the open water, a storm comes out of nowhere and capsizes the yacht. The four survivors think they’ve been saved when a massive old cruise ship steams past, but when they get on board, it appears to be completely deserted.

However, as they explore the seemingly empty ship, it becomes apparent that they may not be alone and someone is out to kill them. As Jess tries to escape a masked killer – as well as the other’s accusations that she is the murderer – she looks over the edge of the ship and sees a rather unexpected sight – herself and her friends just arriving on the ship after being capsized. So what’s going on, and how can she just be arriving when she’s already on the ship? See, I told you it wants your brain to hurt, and I can't reveal much more without telling you too much.

Triangle is the sort of film people will either love of loath. If you’re the type of person who wants everything to be 100% clear by the end of the movie, with no loose ends, then you’re likely to be disappointed, but if you’re up for a bit of a mental challenge and don’t mind playing the film’s games, which include both trying to work out what’s happening and why, then it’s quite fun. You will probably need to draw up a wallchart to try and completely figure out exactly how everything fits together, but it’s a bold movie that dares to try and bamboozle the audience, while intriguing them with endless possibilities and ideas.

It’s aided in this by a good performance from Melissa George as Jess, who has the unenviable task of trying to guide us through this maze of time loops and seemingly impossible things, while taking her character on a rather complex emotional journey. Without her, the entire thing might have seemed a lot sillier than it does, although there are still moments when it stretches credibility to breaking point.

Obviously indebted to The Shining, Triangle does a good job of creating an eerie, slightly unsettling feeling, as the characters run around the deserted ship and its endless empty corridors. It’s the sort of setting that’s built to create a sense of deja vu, but probably not to the extent that Jess starts to experience it.

With the DVD also coming with a useful audio commentary from director Christopher Smith, some deleted scenes, storyboards and a couple of featurettes, it’s not a bad little package. It’s also the sort of movie that’s perfect for the home, as it certainly benefits from multiple viewings, which help ensure you pick up things you missed the first time around. In fact the first thing you might want to do when you finish the movie is watch the beginning again, as it helps explain the slightly disorienting nature of the opening few minutes. Triangle is ultimately a giant puzzle, and it may take a few watches to slot all the bits together.

You may never 100% get to the bottom of what’s going on in Triangle, and there are quite a few theories out there where people have tried to piece it together, but it’s fun trying to work it out. The director, Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance), has certainly tried to create something far more complex, ambitious and interesting than your usual supernatural thriller, and while there are moments when it gets a bit silly, it’s nevertheless an incredibly intriguing ride, which takes you on a conceptual journey that’s both bold and surprisingly entertaining.

Overall Verdict: While your head may explode, this time-looping thriller is a lot of fun and far bolder than most genre offerings.

Special Features:
‘The Making Of Triangle’ Featurette
Audio Commentary With Director Christopher Smith
Storyboards
Deleted Scenes
Competition Winners Poster Design
‘The Storm’ Special Effects Featurette

Reviewer: Tim Isaac