It's hard to fit "Triangle of Sadness" in a genre, but probably that would be again a dark comedy turning into drama if I'd be forced to pick some category. However, it's an entirely different type of movie than last time's "Banshees of Inisherin". It's also quite complicated to write a spoiler-free review sufficiently eloquent for what we have here. Or I don't have enough inspiration to do it now. That's why I did something that I typically only do before watching a movie, not after = to also have a look at what others wrote. It seems to me, however, that my opinion diverges from the majority, so I'll stick to the essentials.
The movie's split into three acts, the first introducing a couple, Carl and Yaya, two fashion models, somewhere close to their 30s. The second act brings them on a yacht cruise together with all kinds of wealthy but disagreeable characters. The captain of the ship, himself a very special character, always drunk and upset about the capitalist regime he's part of finds a drinking buddy in a Russian oligarch, and ultimately drives the ship to its doom. Or otherwise said, he brings the movie to its third act, where we have a handful of survivors shipwrecked on an island, and forced to adapt their lavish living to a Robinson Crusoe existence. That's the summary in a few words.
"Triangle of Sadness" is a pretty objective movie relative to the current reality and a quite direct one. That's where the criticism stems from, apparently for "lack-of-depth", as I've seen in some reviews close to Hollywood (in Europe it was received ok). I think the real reason behind it is a different one. The movie probably doesn't fit well with a political agenda very firmly oriented in a certain direction during the last few years, which I'm not really in the mood to debate here. Setting some base on "the rich aren't nice" image, the movie first enters some cliches showing the superficiality behind luxury, which is not something new indeed as reviews say, funny enough turning this into low ratings. The last act drives us to some reversing within the social ranks, the control being taken by a former cleaning lady on the yacht, apparently the only one with the necessary practical skills for surviving. This outcome slowly turns the tide towards some exploitation or even tyranny perspectives, and the new group leader feels very well in her position. The essence here (or the probably inconvenient "depth") is that not even the "equality" naturally created by the sunken ship can resist as it would be believed it can. Or at least that pushing to extremes when trying to create equality won't hold, the attitude in commercials can't be standard - sometimes depends on the brand, Thursday is not a day as any other to have dinner despite weather forecasts, a ship's crew cannot indulge in leisure activities as much as the passengers do, not all ships have washable sails, having the stomach full is not a universal recommendation for sea sickness, you can't say "yes" all the times to what's requested from you, and maybe others, maybe even more "deep", that wrap up into the same idea.
Rating: 4 out of 5
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