Triangle (2009) review – A mind-bending puzzle on the high seas

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Have you ever finished watching a horror film, stared at the blank screen, and just thought, “I… think I need to watch that again. Like.. Immediately.”? Well, if you haven’t, get ready because you are in for a treat. Today, we are taking a look at Christopher Smith’s 2009 movie Triangle.

This Is a Tough One To Talk About!

This is a film that starts as a simple slasher but ends up transforming into one of the genre’s most mind-twisting mysteries of recent years. Oh, and before we start, if you like mystery horror movies like Triangle, check out this list of 30 of the best mystery horror movies ever.

My initial thought when choosing to review Triangle was that it is probably a bit underrated and underappreciated. Seeing the number of people who have bothered to leave a score on IMDb tells me that’s probably an incorrect assessment. A hell of a lot of people really like this movie and for good reason.

The story follows young mother Jess (Melissa George) as she heads out onto a boat with her friend Greg (Michael Dorman) for a day of relaxation. Greg has brought along a few acquaintances and everything seems to be going fine, despite Jess seemingly feeling a little bizarre.

After a storm suddenly hits, the boat is capsized leaving the group at the mercy of the ocean. A ship appears out of the fog offering potential rescue but the ship’s barren nature hints at something truly strange hiding in the shadows.

This is one of those movies that is extremely difficult to actually discuss. Spoiling anything would rob the potential viewer of one of the more interesting horror movies to come out of the 2000s. But not pointing out at least some of the movie’s twists and turns risks underselling the fascinating story. Needless to say, you should go into it knowing as little as possible. Stay the hell away from the trailer, that’s for sure.

Stick with it and you will be rewarded

The phrase “stick with it” might never have been more accurately applied to a movie than it is with Triangle. It always seems like something of a big ask on the part of the reviewer. Almost like saying “it’s a bit shit for a while but, trust me, it gets better“. That’s definitely not the case with this film.

The first act of Triangle isn’t exactly bad, it’s just formulaic. We can see that our protagonist is not her normal self and her friends on the boat recognise that too. We really don’t know why, though, or what has happened. Remember, these characters are strangers to us and we are thrown in at a point where exposition is minimal. There’s a mystery brewing but we need to be patient allowing it to percolate.

After a, frankly, incredibly bizarre and unearthly storm appears, the boat is capsized. Evidently, there is something supernatural taking place but we aren’t sure what it is. A large ocean liner called the Aeolus appears and the group, believing it is their salvation, board.

Immediately, Jess is hit with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. She feels like she has been here before and is convinced she is seeing people from the corner of her eyes. In the hopes of finding the crew, the group splits up to search the boat.

Not Just a Simple Ghost Ship Story

For the next twenty minutes, or so, Triangle presents itself as something of a ghost ship horror movie. The boat creaks and groans as it floats along devoid of direction or purpose. Every now and then, the sound of the strangely eerie song Anchors Aweigh plays in the background.

“The phrase ‘stick with it’ might never have been more accurately applied to a horror movie than it is with Triangle.”

This song was, famously, performed by Glenn Miller whose plane mysteriously disappeared over the English Channel in 1944. This is an inspired and tantalising hint at what is about to come. Things are going to get very twisty, very quickly.

The haunting, empty, corridors seem to wind and turn endlessly. There’s nobody around but almost every room seems to hint at the presence of people in the recent past. Whether it’s a set of keys lying on the floor conspicuously or a message scrolled on a mirror in what appears to be blood. This is a lived-in world that has, evidently, seen tragedy at some point.

Perhaps someone was murdered or maybe it is something more innocuous like a person having suffered an accident. Did they leave after being rescued or are they still on the boat? Nothing is all that clear but one thing is for sure, something is definitely not right. Jess can feel it more than anyone.

It’s standard horror fare, right? You have seen it all before. This familiarity is a complete ruse, though. Smith wants you to feel like you know what is happening and are experiencing the same sense of déjà vu as Jess. The story is about to flip on its head and transform into a Sisyphean tale of epic proportions.

A Bleak Yet Compelling Horror Puzzle

Triangle eagerly sheds its horror trappings and becomes a twisted and contorted mystery thriller that expertly plays with the viewer’s perception the way other horror movies play with inventive kills. A masked assailant appears and attempts to shoot members of the group. At times, it even seems as though there is more than one. While the others hide, it is up to Jess to get to the bottom of what is going on.

Jess manages to avoid danger and even fight back. Little does she realise that she has a much more personal connection to the events taking place than she could have possibly imagined. She finds herself right at the very centre of a maze like puzzle that always seems to lead back to the same point and offers little chance of escape.

Melissa George is tasked with tying this whole thing together and does a great job acting as an equally confused and bewildered avatar for the viewer.

It’s fascinating stuff, managing to be both compelling and captivating while also feeling entirely bleak and hopeless. Each little dash of exposition only serves to further muddle the picture. Quickly suggesting that the writer isn’t trying to help you understand the story, he is trying to drag you deeper and deeper into the bowels of its mystery element.

“Triangle sheds its horror trappings and becomes a twisted and contorted mystery thriller that expertly plays with the viewer’s perception.”

This is one of those movies that begs a re-watch just to clarify a few points. Understanding it means deliberately embracing the narrative misdirection and accepting that everything is far from how it seems. You really have to go into the movie with a willingness to engage in an almost cosmic sense of the bizarre.

A Few Issues

Triangle’s puzzle-like story is not an entirely original concept. It has been done before in horror but it is executed so well, here, that it still feels quite refreshing. In the years to follow, many other horror movies would offer their own take on this narrative to limited levels of success. Smith would even take on the subject once again from a slightly different angle in 2023’s Consecration. Triangle really kicked off a trend in horror that we are still seeing to this day.

With that being said, there are a few issues. It’s perhaps never quite as clever as it wants to appear. There are plot holes all over the place and there’s the distinct chance that you will come away from the story thinking it makes no sense. Part of the reason to re-watch Triangle is to clarify that there are most definitely a lot of loose ends.

It’s also not exactly a scary movie. With that being said, the mystery element takes centre stage so you should maybe consider it to be more of a thriller than a horror movie. This is a British and Australian collaboration funded by the UK’s National Lottery. With that in mind, why the hell are the nearly entirely Australian cast speaking with American accents? Literally, all of them struggle handily with this. At one point George slides right back into full Oz patter. It’s quite annoying!

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Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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