There has been a lot of buzz about Triangle of Sadness, especially given that it won the prestigious Palm D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Generally, however, reviews have been divided, with some calling it a hilarious anti-rich romp, and some criticizing it for being shallow in its satire.
But the problem with Triangle of Sadness has nothing to do with whether or not it is good dark comedy. The problem is that it's a complete mess. Annoying, disjointed, and appallingly slow, this is one of the most unpleasant cinemagoing experiences I've had all year. However, I can't deny that it is very well-made and acted, which saves the movie from outright badness.
The film starts off on the wrong foot with a long, long argument between its two protagonists. It's clearly supposed to show how shallow rich people are, but the scene should be around two minutes and instead takes up what feels like twenty. Both characters are intensely irritating: again, not on its own an issue, but it's not justified sufficiently to make it worthwhile.
Initially, you think to yourself "no matter. A lot of movies don't start great. This is bound to get better." But, unfortunately, the opposite is true. Triangle of Sadness doesn't just have an overly long and slow beginning section, it's an overly long and slow movie. You find out that it scarcely has anything that resembles a plot or any real structure, and almost every single one of the characters are designed to be extremely unlikable. This leads to scene after scene of no consequence and little entertainment value, interspersed with only the occasional mildly amusing gag. Any through line established in the opening is completely dropped for no apparent reason. Even when the boat is finally left behind, the plot does not pick up whatsoever and still refuses to engage the audience.
What's most frustrating is that the elements for a great movie are right there. The acting is executed well and the movie is styled in a unique yet restrained way. Some of the humour even elicits laughs, a rare trait for a modern comedy. But none of this is enough to fully salvage the film and make it worth watching. Triangle of Sadness is a movie that has the trappings of great cinema, but it's all in service of a wretched, vacuous hole at its center.
Finally Score: 46/100.
But the problem with Triangle of Sadness has nothing to do with whether or not it is good dark comedy. The problem is that it's a complete mess. Annoying, disjointed, and appallingly slow, this is one of the most unpleasant cinemagoing experiences I've had all year. However, I can't deny that it is very well-made and acted, which saves the movie from outright badness.
The film starts off on the wrong foot with a long, long argument between its two protagonists. It's clearly supposed to show how shallow rich people are, but the scene should be around two minutes and instead takes up what feels like twenty. Both characters are intensely irritating: again, not on its own an issue, but it's not justified sufficiently to make it worthwhile.
Initially, you think to yourself "no matter. A lot of movies don't start great. This is bound to get better." But, unfortunately, the opposite is true. Triangle of Sadness doesn't just have an overly long and slow beginning section, it's an overly long and slow movie. You find out that it scarcely has anything that resembles a plot or any real structure, and almost every single one of the characters are designed to be extremely unlikable. This leads to scene after scene of no consequence and little entertainment value, interspersed with only the occasional mildly amusing gag. Any through line established in the opening is completely dropped for no apparent reason. Even when the boat is finally left behind, the plot does not pick up whatsoever and still refuses to engage the audience.
What's most frustrating is that the elements for a great movie are right there. The acting is executed well and the movie is styled in a unique yet restrained way. Some of the humour even elicits laughs, a rare trait for a modern comedy. But none of this is enough to fully salvage the film and make it worth watching. Triangle of Sadness is a movie that has the trappings of great cinema, but it's all in service of a wretched, vacuous hole at its center.
Finally Score: 46/100.