Before the original run of “The X-Files” (1993-2002), weird horror movies stood out. Afterward, they we more likely to get lost in the shuffle (although for a while M. Night Shyamalan was in the spotlight for these types of movies). A case in point is “Triangle” (2009), a film you might love if it takes you off guard, and might find run-of-the-mill if you’re already in a “weird horror” state of mind.
Day trip gone bad
It’s no doubt a coincidence that writer-director Christopher Smith’s film has parallels to the “X-Files” episode of the same name (Season 6, episode 3). This feels like a passion project more than a rip-off.
A group of day-trip sailors off the coast of Florida barely makes it through a vicious storm. Incidentally, 2011’s “The Reef” would use an identical setup. There, the group must deal with sharks. Here, the group boards a huge luxury vessel, and they’re perfectly safe and the movie ends.
“Triangle” (2009)
Director: Christopher Smith
Writer: Christopher Smith
Stars: Melissa George, Liam Hemsworth, Michael Dorman
Just kidding. Time-trippy weirdness ensues – perhaps because they’re in the Bermuda Triangle, although that’s never stated.
Actually taking its name from the capsized sailboat, “Triangle” ultimately illustrates how our definition of reality is entirely tied to the forward flow of time. Humans’ concept of time tethers us to an understandable narrative where events happen in order. When time is untethered, it’s not long till our minds follow.
George keeps us afloat
But Melissa George — looking sad as Jess, the mother of an autistic son – ably carries us through the oddities with a confused facial expression that mirrors our own. Another member of the cast you’ve heard of is Liam Hemsworth (“The Hunger Games”); he plays Victor, the lone teenage member of the bunch. The other four actors are fine but unmemorable.
About midway through “Triangle” I thought I’d need to watch one of those “Movie Explained” videos, but then Smith himself obliges. In fact, it’s remarkable how far the narrative keeps going in order to complete its logical loop. So in the end it makes sense (within its own concept).
Along the journey, “Triangle” delivers light thriller-horror, including a person masked like Jason in “Friday the 13th Part 2.” Jess carries both the entertainment-value weight and the narrative weight as we shift to seeing things through her eyes.
Getting loopy
In a darker take on the “Groundhog Day” loop, “Triangle” shows how far a person might go to set things right once their mind is opened to their bad actions.
Although you might think of “The X-Files” — and also “The Shining” (the ship is like a hotel on the water) — Smith deserves credit for making his own quirky little movie. He tries for a disturbing brand of psychological horror that goes beyond a stalker on a big deserted ship.
“Triangle” doesn’t achieve the deep level of fear it was probably hoping for. And aside from Jess, the characters don’t grow. It comes up with one notably creative image along the way – involving Rachael Carpani’s Sally as she tries to evade the masked killer.
Keeping it from elite status is the simple fact that there are now a lot of odd, fun horror-mysteries like “Triangle.”