Erin StapletonFilm Triad
July 31st 2008 11:38
“Triangle” (Tie saam gok) by Ringo Lam, Johnnie To and Tsui Hark (2007)
Now, if it was meant to be funny, then that makes this film quite a bit better. I’m going with the assumption that it was, and actually I’m fairly certain the ending was intended to be hilarious. The film was beautifully executed, some amazing camera angles, and I always love that extra vivid colour-saturation. And I loved the concept of each director making 30 minutes of the film in his own style. Problem was, those styles were more or less indistinguishable.
I would have been much more impressed if they’d each chosen a slightly different film stock, or one used digital, another super8 or something like that. Or perhaps, while each had the whole script, each didn’t know what the others had done, or something. There was way too much continuity, basically. Also, and now I know I’m pushing my luck, but I really like martial arts, and there was none, sigh, in a Hong Kong gangster movie. I was really looking forward to a decent fight scene. Not to worry, that new one with Jet Li AND Jackie Chan is coming out soon.
Now, I have another major complaint, although it really has nothing to do with the quality of the movie. Why is it trendy these days (and this seems to have spiraled out of control in the last couple of years) to have a shoulder dislocation scene in every damn action film. It is really the only major category of film violence I can’t cope with, because I’ve had a couple of shoulder dislocations, and you don’t mess around with that stuff. So I dunno who started it, or when. But this is my official request that this new trend cease immediately. I disgraced myself in the cinema by having to cover my eyes and ears. How embarrassment.
Anyway, I did enjoy ‘Triangle’. The mobile phone gags were great.
6/10
Now, if it was meant to be funny, then that makes this film quite a bit better. I’m going with the assumption that it was, and actually I’m fairly certain the ending was intended to be hilarious. The film was beautifully executed, some amazing camera angles, and I always love that extra vivid colour-saturation. And I loved the concept of each director making 30 minutes of the film in his own style. Problem was, those styles were more or less indistinguishable.
I would have been much more impressed if they’d each chosen a slightly different film stock, or one used digital, another super8 or something like that. Or perhaps, while each had the whole script, each didn’t know what the others had done, or something. There was way too much continuity, basically. Also, and now I know I’m pushing my luck, but I really like martial arts, and there was none, sigh, in a Hong Kong gangster movie. I was really looking forward to a decent fight scene. Not to worry, that new one with Jet Li AND Jackie Chan is coming out soon.
Now, I have another major complaint, although it really has nothing to do with the quality of the movie. Why is it trendy these days (and this seems to have spiraled out of control in the last couple of years) to have a shoulder dislocation scene in every damn action film. It is really the only major category of film violence I can’t cope with, because I’ve had a couple of shoulder dislocations, and you don’t mess around with that stuff. So I dunno who started it, or when. But this is my official request that this new trend cease immediately. I disgraced myself in the cinema by having to cover my eyes and ears. How embarrassment.
Anyway, I did enjoy ‘Triangle’. The mobile phone gags were great.
6/10
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