Triangle   Starring: Melissa George, Liam Hemsworth and Rachael Carpani Icon Home Entertainment RRP: £15.99 ICON101941 Certificate: 15 Available 01 March 2010

Jess, a woman with an autistic son, is seen to shout at him. Moments later she gets in her car and drives to the marina, where she meets a handful of friends for a relaxing sailing trip. They notice her troubled demeanour, and ask where her boy is. She tells them he's at school, even though it's evident to everyone that it's the weekend. Halfway through the day a mysterious dark cloud suddenly appears. A devastating storm descends to tear their boat apart. One of their number is lost, and the survivors are left clinging to the upturned hull of the boat. The storm passes, bringing almost like magic the arrival of an old ocean liner. They climb aboard, but can find no passengers. They are suddenly shot at from a distance, triggering a horrifying chain of events - a never-ending circle of events which Jess is determined to break at all cost...

Christopher Smith, the director of Creep and Severance, returns with a thriller with a difference. Despite my better judgement, Triangle somehow managed to pass me by upon its initial UK cinematic release. I'd heard positive murmurings about it, not least from entertaining film critic Mark Kermode (who cut his teeth on horror). But seldom influenced by anyone's opinion, I'm pleased to have the opportunity to decide if it's the genre-breaking film it's reported to be. I have discovered it to be a genre-bridging movie which therefore reaches the same goal through an alternative route. As the early scenes play out you would be forgiven for thinking it a Dead Calm-type thriller or even a sea-based disaster movie. In fact, it's both of these categories, and later adds horror, time travel and other dimension to the list. It probably owes most to films such as Donnie Darko, The Butterfly Effect, and Primer.

It works extraordinarily well. I'm certain I've mentioned before my preference for films which leave you thinking at the end. A large part of the plot here involves a Groundhog Day-type loop, with each circle including scenes not seen previously. Therefore, we're not watching precisely the same thing every time, and the character of Jess evolves, even though she doesn't want herself to. To reveal any more would spoil the originality for any new viewer, but suffice to say you'll be left happily scratching your head at the end. I recently attempted to describe the plot to somebody. It's not easy; I was stared at as if I'd just landed in a spaceship.

Extras include: Deleted Scenes, Storyboards, Making of..., commentary by Christopher Smith, and The Storm Special Effects.

8

Ty Power