Amazon’s blurb, and indeed the dvd case itself, state that three masters of Hong Kong Cinema come together to create a masterpiece. 3 Masters yes, but what they have created is hardly a masterpiece. It is a complex but messy film following three storylines, each with three characters, intertwined by the main plot involving the three central characters. From the outset this is difficult to follow, with relationships between all three groups overlapping at different points until the final section where everything comes together. The ending is exciting enough, but ultimately is not satisfying and i expected more action throughout. However it is not an action movie, more a drama and the packaging seems a little misleading.
Triangle follows three ‘almost friends’, losers who want a big break to escape their respective lives. One works for the mafia and owes money- they are threatening to kill him and his mother. Another owns an antique shop, but wants a big score, and the final is married to a semi-psychotic woman who is having an affair, torn by memories of a past love. One dark night, while they discuss get rich quick schemes, a mysterious old man appears and tells them about a box which may solve all their problems. With no other option, the three men attempt to claim the box for themselves, but hot on their heels are the cops and the mafia.
The central characters could have been more interesting if the story had been told in a less haphazard way. Perhaps this was intentional, to reflect the chaos of their lives, but it menas we have less sympathy for them and cannot relate as well as we might. There are lots of funny moments, the usual quirky moments and offbeat minor characters to spice things up, but sometimes these do not work and only complicate things further. The acting is all sound from the ensamble cast- with lesser actors this would have collapsed. The final twenty minutes is the highlight, with all factions coming together and the chaos, comedy and action reaching a peak, meaning we don’t know who to trust, who will get out alive, or who will get out with what they came for. One for fans of the directors, or those curious to expand their asian collection
The Spac Hole 