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If you’re looking for a psychological mindbender of a horror movie, in which all of the answers are not simply wrapped up in a neat little package and tied together with a clichéd bow, then Christopher Smith’s new film, Triangle, is well worth your mental time.
When Jess (Melissa George), decides to go on a boating trip with her friend, Greg (Michael Dorman), some of his friends, and boat hand Victor (Liam Hemsworth), things couldn’t go more wrong or get more twisted.
When we first meet Jess, we know that something’s not quite right: she comes across as a vulnerable young woman, physically exhausted and emotionally haunted. We soon discover that she’s feeling guilty for leaving her autistic son, Tommy, at school for the day (even though, as one of the crew points out, it’s Saturday) while she attempts to take time out for herself on the high seas.
The plot kicks in when the group receives a distress call from a distraught woman. Soon, their own their situation becomes a cause for panic when they’re plunged into a bizarre storm, which upends the boat and drowns one of the girls onboard. The survivors discover an ocean liner, which appears mysteriously out of the mist, and they manage to pull themselves aboard to safety. Once on board, they find the ship mostly abandoned—despite the shadowy figure they noticed on the deck before they boarded. The mystery continues as Jess, still in her disturbed state, believes that she’s been on this boat before. Within minutes, some of the party have been shot and killed, as a manic with a sack-mask terrorizes Jess, pursuing her through the labyrinthine and claustrophobic passageways of the ship. To say too much more would only spoil the plot.
When I picked up this title, I expected a rehash of other ghost ship movies (yes, there is a minor sub-genre), but I was pleasantly surprised by the intelligent and complex plot, which plays much like an episode of The Twilight Zone, packed as it is with elements of the supernatural. The narrative moves and spirals at a brisk pace, with engaging and nicely developed characters (especially the central performance by George), which elevates Triangle beyond its conventional horror premise: young, attractive people in an isolated location being picked off by psycho. We’re talking more psychological suspense here than guts and gore. And while it does have its moments of explosive violence, Triangle’s psychological violence is what keeps this movie’s intensity ratcheted to a ten.
Christopher Smith (Creep and Severance) has to be congratulated for his script and direction, which bears repeat viewing for its complexity and emotional impact. Admittedly, some of the visual symbolism gets a little overwhelming at times (if one is attuned to these visual clues), but, ultimately, it works in the movie’s favor, appearing organically rather than being awkwardly shoehorned into the narrative. As a result, Triangle actually has something profound say about the psychology of guilt and the pains people will go through to face their demons and control their lives.
The Region 1 release is pretty barebones, consisting of a mini interview with cast and crew. The Region 2 release, which I looked up on Amazon UK, has commentaries and deleted scenes, which would add to viewers’ understanding of this tightly-wound and tightly-written piece of atypical genre cinema.
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