Triangle (2009) introduces us to Jess (Melissa George), Greg (Michael Dorman), Sally (Rachel Carpani), Downey (Henry Nixon), Heather (Emma Lung), and Victor (Liam Hemsworth) during a boat trip. Roughly fifteen minutes into the film, Downey asks, “Is that normal?” while gesturing toward some obviously fake CGI clouds and lightning. Whether it’s typical is open to interpretation. Unfortunately, poor visual effects have become commonplace rather than unusual. A sudden storm causes the boat to capsize. Heather is lost at sea, but the others manage to climb onto the overturned sailboat once the storm passes. A conspicuously computer-generated ocean liner called the Aeolus then appears and they board it. The ship’s destruction is marred by a low-quality visual effect, yet their rescue comes courtesy of another—a darkly ironic twist. Onboard, they discover a photograph depicting the same vessel and learn that “Aeolus was the Greek God of the winds and the father of Sisyphus, the man condemned by the Gods to push a rock up a mountain only to have it roll back down again.” While not a god but a mortal favored by Zeus, an Aeolus did indeed serve as keeper of the winds. This particular Aeolus, however, isn’t connected to the one who fathered Sisyphus. If writer-director Christopher Smith was so keen on referencing Sisyphus, why didn't he name the boat “Sysiphus”? Or perhaps something like "Prometheus"? My calculations suggest that Sisyphus could even be related to Prometheus (his great-great-grandson), and Prometheus’s punishment—having his liver regenerate nightly after being eaten by an eagle—bears a closer resemblance to what unfolds in this film. More importantly, Prometheus eventually gained his freedom. Our unfortunate protagonists wander the ship, and with the exception of Jess, are eliminated one by one, which thankfully brings an end to their irritating arguments. Then the Aeolus reappears near the overturned Triangle, and new (or perhaps old?) versions of the characters reboard the ship. The pattern repeats itself endlessly, inducing boredom. If Jess were Prometheus, her friends would be his regenerating liver. But why are there multiple Jesses? And why does she have no memory of any of this—which seems to have been happening for some time—beyond a vague sense of familiarity? Neither Prometheus nor Sisyphus found themselves trapped in some sort of hazy temporal loop. They didn’t remark, “gee, this feels oddly familiar,” while pushing a rock or enduring avian predation on their internal organs. They were fully cognizant of their circumstances, which only intensified their suffering. Furthermore, when Sisyphus reached the hilltop, he didn't encounter other Sisyphi waiting for him. Smith really should have left the Greek mythology as background symbolism. It seems Jess is being punished for physically abusing and unintentionally killing her autistic son—a move that reduces autism to a mere plot device—but what about the others? What did they do to warrant this? Unless, of course, they aren’t real—like the storm and the ocean liner. If this is Jess's personal purgatory, why does she occasionally vanish from the action? Why are there scenes featuring various combinations of characters when everything should be perceived and experienced through Jess’s perspective? The answer is simple: to deceive the audience. Ultimately, we understand what’s occurring and why it will continue indefinitely. The remaining question is, who is truly being punished—Jess or the viewers? A time-loop film shouldn't end with the loop restarting without resolution because that isn't a proper ending; what purpose does a revelation serve without an epiphany? There’s only one reason to watch Triangle: to witness Jess breaking free from the cycle. Otherwise, it’s as futile an endeavor as… well, you know where I’m going with this.

Source on TMDB