‘Triangle’ Review: Nautical Horror with Time Loop Elements that Challenge the Mind

“Triangle” crosses several sub-genres: time loops and nautical horror. The 2009 film was written and directed by Christopher Smith. It’s the type of movie that will make you seek out analysis videos and podcasts after you finish. It will make you think about what you just watched and come up with numerous theories on your own as to just what the hell is going on. It’s not for everyone, but if you like this stuff, give it a shot.

Jess (Melissa George) is a single mom. She has a young autistic son (Joshua McIvor) who we can tell is a handful that takes up lot of her time. Greg (Michael Dorman) has invited Jess on a pre-date boat trip. I loved the chaotic start. We immediately meet Jess and her son, visualized with ambiguous cut shots interspersed with the opening credits. Something is amiss but we don’t know exactly what.

A fun day at sea

Gerg’s friends Sally (Rachael Carpani) and Downey (Henry Nixon) are a married couple joining the boating expedition. Sally’s friend Heather (Emma Lung) is brought as a potential fixup for Greg. Liam Hemsworth plays Victor, Greg’s hunky houseboat roommate. The dynamic of the friends is great. I can picture the married couple trying to set up their single friend and having resentment over Jess who is seen as an outsider.

At sea, Greg’s vessel is overturned during a freak and sudden storm. It’s an eerie sequence that begins with the winds suddenly dying and dark clouds roaring up on the horizon. There’s a static-laced distress call over the radio and the emergence of a derelict ocean liner that our characters board, believing it to be their salvation.

The Bermuda Triangle?

I did a report on The Bermuda Triangle in ninth grade, and the fascination has continued in the years since. “Triangle” may or may not have anything to do with that. Greg’s ship is named Triangle, and it sets sail off the coast of Florida. One could see where the supernatural elements wash in from. We’ve all experienced deja-vu to some degree. This film does a good job of conveying Jess and her dismay over the phenomena.

Melissa George is great in the lead role, with everyone else painted quite thin. It’s fine since Jess is the focal point of the story, and George has the chops to carry the film. I wasn’t a fan of some of the dialogue, which could be poor acting or poor writing, or a combination of both. It’s nothing egregious but can be eye-rolling at times.

The horror elements occur onboard the liner. There’s something perfectly haunting about a massive ship floating in the ocean devoid of any life. Subtle references can clue you in as to what is happening, but I won’t spoil specifics. I loved the eerie old timey phonograph playing and Jess’s watch matching the clock on the ship exactly. Things like this are unsettling and work well at creeping you out in a non-gory way.

99 minutes (100 nautical minutes) will fly by. The mystery is compelling. While the scares are limited to situational horror and a masked phantom stalking the friends, the tension is high throughout.

“Triangle” is a fun movie. Allow yourself the option of enjoying it without twisting your brain to explain it. It’s a mindfuck that you’ll want to watch again.