Triangle

I waited so long for this film. Then....it was by far the most boring film I have ever watched. I felt really let down because it could have been such a great film.

Triangle (2009)

Dir. Christopher Smith

Cert 15

A bunch of attractive young guys and gals take a trip on a yacht off the coast of Florida, capsize in a freak storm, and are forced to board a passing ocean liner. Once on board, they discover the ship to be completely abandoned, and Jess (Melissa George, previously seen in 30 Days of Night, WΔZ, and the remake of The Amityville Horror) is convinced she has been there before...

Cue what I thought would be another slasher movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. The plot twists in on itself over and over again, cleverly managing to keep the story coherent despite inevitable plot holes. The pacing is excellent, with each new revelation upping the tension rather than "jumping the shark", and the lack of gratuitous gore (this is only a 15) means that this is more of a psychological thriller than a common-or-garden slasher film.

Carrying the film superbly is the protagonist, played by Melissa George, who does a great job of managing to be convincing and sympathetic while spending most of the film in a strappy top, denim hotpants and a pair of totally impractical mules - despite the wardrobe, the character is no dumb blonde in distress!

Christopher Smith, who previously brought us the hit-and-miss Creep and the enjoyably daft Severance, creates an atmosphere of unease reminiscent of the Overlook Hotel of Kubrick's The Shining; the acting is good, despite the alarming number of Home & Away and Neighbours alumni in the cast; and overall this is an efficiently made psychological horror film that keeps the tension going without dragging, with a refreshingly different plotline that doesn't try to be cleverer than it already is.

Recommended to fans of 2003's Identity, and those who don't need buckets of blood to get their kicks.

Special mention should go to the film's tagline, which may be one of the worst of the year: "The forecast is EVIL!"