Triangle of Sadness

Östlund's sell-out with one luxurious fecal scene and a lot of populism that doesn’t offend anyone at all. In this respect, the Swedish merchant of cheap satire is the best in the world. As a filmmaker, however, he is obviously past his prime. Press play and summon Force Majeure. (2023-01-02)

Östlund’s take on Animal Farm is a wonderfully biting and sardonic portrait of our society, which likes to talk about equality, but does nothing to promote it. Triangle of Sadness stylistically straddles the delicate line between the refined sophistication and complexity of Parasite and the delightfully carnivalesque and cheekily incorrect shallowness of Troma Entertainment’s social caricatures like Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead and Shakespeare’s Sh*tstorm. Thanks to this, it also remains uniquely universally accessible and, at the same time, so multi-layered that each viewer will find in it a different character in whom they will see a reflection of themselves and their position in society, which is hopeless and desperately undignified, despite momentary illusions or supposed status. Östlund isn’t afraid to weave in the absurdity of today’s world of the young and aware as well as the old and secure, but he doesn’t neglect those in between, who keep the whole spoiled, civilisational circus going. With savage laughter, he lets the viewers enjoy beautifully served nuggets that stimulate our inner anger and maliciousness in order to dip us in the bile and show us the truly warped nature of gender roles and the social hierarchy of excessive capitalism. ___ PS: The icing on the cake in the film’s excellent cast is not Woody Harrelson, but Zlatko Buric, who hasn’t had such space and such a great role perhaps since the phenomenal Pusher 3. ___ PS2: I very much hope that the film will be distributed to multiplexes, because after watching it you will want to walk among luxury shops, where models promoting meaningless status symbols look at you from the display windows with sullen faces. (2022-05-18)

A first-class social satire that takes on high society, influencers, models and the like in a subtle and sometimes wholesomely irreverent way. An alternative to Tarantino's masterfully pitched scenes, only without a splatter finale, although there are still various liquids splashing all over the place in the middle of the film. It's a shame that the most effective moments aren't distributed steadily, the second half is considerably less compact, not as entertaining, and basically you are only waiting for the finale. But the first half is so refreshing and so rounded in what it deals with that it is impossible not to admire it. A showcase of the inventive creativity of the makers of this low budget gem. (2023-02-28)

A cynical satire that cuts to the heart. Östlund shuffles the demons of today's society in an incredible way, dealing them out like cards to the each protagonist, but , above all, he entertains and is full of wit even in the most tense moments. The relatively little-known ensemble cast performs the best this year has to offer. Whether it's the king of shit Zlatko Burić, the capitalist Marxist Woody Harrelson or the downright modern couple Harris Dickinson and Charlbi Dean (God rest her soul). Taking away people's social status and shuffling the cards of importance is especially refreshing to watch these days. The film of the year will probably remain Top Gun: Maverick, but Triangle of Sadness is a close second, at least for me. It could even get an Oscar for Best Picture, it meets all the necessary requirements, though I’m not sure if any of the characters was non-binary, maybe the one that couldn’t speak... (2022-12-23)

A satire that refuses to be simple or one-sided. Thanks to that, it is surprisingly accommodating of the audience and anyone with even a minimally open mind can pick up on the winks, nudges, and jabs. And yet it could really have been just a bit more balanced. While for many the captain's dinner was the highlight, I far more greatly enjoyed exploring the individual vanities and snobs, as well as the unpredictable, slow, but daring final act. After all, the dinner is the scene everyone remembers because of its accessibility, but it's that very overcooked quality that harms it. It does show how difficult moments are inevitable for everyone in the world, but there are too many of these instances. I picked up on the metaphor of wallowing in one's own bodily fluids the first time around; I didn't need it repeated so many times. Triangle of Sadness is not easy to recommend because its unnecessary length can be a turnoff for a lot of people, but the question "How would I behave in such a situation?" keeps popping up and every time it sets off a whirlwind of questions, which are not easy to answer even for yourself. (2022-10-15)