Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Louis Koo, Simon Yam, Honglei Sun, Lam Ka-tung, Kelly Lin ... see more see more... , Yao Yung , Suet Lam , Yip Chuen Chun , Li Haitao , Chan Ho-sai

Three maestro Chinese action directors - Ringo Lam, Tsui Hark and Johnny To - co-helm the adventure saga Triangle. The film actually constitutes a film serial, divided into thirds, with each filmmaker... read more read more... responsible for one episode. Three drinking buddies, Fai, Sam and Mok are visited one dark and stormy night by a strange old man who dazzles them with the tale of an ancient treasure. The artifact in question - worth untold amounts of money - lies buried beneath an almost impenetrable government facility. The retrieval mission is theirs, if they wish to accept it, and if they can claim the treasure, they get to keep it. Indeed, the "loot" - a magnificent robe of interwoven golden strands, its monetary value inestimable - outstrips everyone's expectations. But in time, the friends' greed and selfishness begin to overshadow their considerations of loyalty, trust and friendship. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Flixster Users

45% liked it

2,010 ratings

Critics

50% liked it

14 critics

R, 1 hr. 40 min.

Directed by: Ringo Lam, Johnnie To, Hark Tsui

Release Date: October 1, 2007

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: September 15, 2009

Stats: 214 reviews

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (214)


  • January 10, 2010
    Triangle is such an appropriate title for this Hong Kong crime thriller. It isn't just because the story revolves around 3 friends, but more that this film is directed by Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam, and Johnnie To.

    Each of the aforementioned directors directs a 30 minute segm

    ... read moreent of this 90 minute picture. Tsui Hark begins it off by dishing out the characters, relationships, and story lines in an erratic manner. This isn't surprising. Sure, there is a bit of confusion here, but there is enough going on to hold one's interest.

    Ringo Lam steps in for the middle portion and does a good job at settling things down and clearing things up. The story advances at a slower pace and it sets everything up for the finale.

    The last 30 minutes, helmed by Johnnie To, is the best part of the film. He is able to wrap everything up by bringing all the major characters together and putting on one of his trademark shootouts, which is the biggest action sequence of the film.

    All the actors are no strangers to this genre. Simon Yam, Louis Koo, and Honglei Sun carry this picture with help from Ka Tung Lam and the beautiful Kelly Lin.

    Triangle does have a shaky start, but the film gets better with each director change. Fans of Hong Kong crime thrillers will want to take a look at this one.

  • December 21, 2008
    Maybe it was me, but i didn't feel that this worked well. I won't blame the direction, which is quite fine except the first act, the script is full of characters, sub-plots and a lot of stuff that goes on and off for no real reason. The cast is great, and Suet Lam almost steals t... read morehe whole thing. But i never cared about the characters, and neither i felt that they were in any danger until the final part. Making a movie with 3 directors of this caliber should have been something else, but the script was written by....six people? Now that sounds like too much hands for such a medium dish.

    All that said, it's good to see the HK industry willing to experiment a bit instead of trying to make another Infernal Affairs or some crap with canto-pop idols. Hope that they can nail it the next.
  • fb6025506
    January 29, 2008
    fb6025506
    Pretty interesting; very intriguing idea by the 3 directors to film this movie the way that they did- 3 directors directing a third of a film, one after another- continuing where the other left offi.
  • April 15, 2008
    I liked the idea, but the actual movie is rather unmemorable (perhaps I would have been able to write a fuller review if I had hustled and gotten this done earlier instead of waiting two months, gah).

    As well, it suffers from the classic problem that surfaces whenever three aute... read moreurs try to merge their styles: there is a definite lack of stylistic continuity here, and the storyline is also too jumbled to redeem the muddled visuals. It starts off promisingly - I always love a good heist movie - but it throws in too much oddness with the story of the cheating girlfriend/doublecross/looks like a dead ex thing, and the treasure story really becomes a mere sideshow, which is a pity.

    Still, it's not quite a thumbs-down from me because I enjoyed Simon Yam's barely contained character, who although he is not very well-developed, stands out as somewhat of an enigma, giving the movie a bit more of a complex edge.
  • June 25, 2010
    the last chapter was hilarious but overall this was quite a disappointment. especially considering the caliber of the 3 directors.
  • October 16, 2009
    Three amazing directors manage to tell a rather mundane story as three buddies try to pull of a heist amid various personal turmoils and financial woes.

    The film is somewhat interesting in the set-up, but falters in the middle segment and never fully recovers once we get into th... read moree final reel.

    A possible rental at best.
  • February 27, 2008
    It's more of a study film than anything else, an odd experience that's part heist, part road movie, part redemption story. An incredibly interesting film, however. I love the tense and consistently worrisome atmosphere. And the three directors do their thing just right and make a... read more complete, full experience. Johnnie To's was probably my favorite. :> Great for HK action/crime cinema fans.

Critic Reviews


Derek Elley
May 18, 2007
Derek Elley, Variety

A seriocomic crimer by Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnnie To that's a diverting, sometimes head-scratching experiment that will mostly chime with Asian movie buffs rather than satisfy general auds as a ... Full Review

Kirk Honeycutt
May 18, 2007
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

The cinematic equivalent of an inedible mess where ingredients war with one another and no one has paid any attention to the poor fellow who must consume the meal.

Don Willmott
October 16, 2009
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com

Your best strategy is simply to sit back, try to follow along, and enjoy the hijinks. Full Review

Anton Bitel
October 21, 2008
Anton Bitel, Little White Lies

A convoluted crime caper with strong ethical underpinnings to support its many moods and styles.

Derek Malcolm
August 29, 2008
Derek Malcolm, This is London

The film is made confusing not only by the twisting plot but by the varied styles of the three cult directors. Full Review

Mark Salisbury
August 29, 2008
Mark Salisbury, Total Film

To's stylishly choreographed, action-led finale wraps things up with a blackly humorous and suspenseful stand-off in an outdoor restaurant. Full Review

Rob Daniel
August 29, 2008
Rob Daniel, Sky Movies

But there is an inescapable air of disappointment that three brilliant directors have handed in a movie that barely scratches the potential of the experiment. Full Review

Tim Robey
August 29, 2008
Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph

Three of Hong Kong cinema's top names take turns to direct this batty heist-gone-wrong thriller, which proceeds from stylish-but-incomprehensible (Tsui Hark) through crunchy and violent (Ringo Lam) to... Full Review

Xan Brooks
August 29, 2008
Xan Brooks, Guardian [UK]

The filmic equivalent of pass-the-parcel on Triangle, a convoluted crime caper about a mysterious gold coin and the luckless bozos on its trail. Full Review

Kevin Maher
August 29, 2008
Kevin Maher, Times [UK]

The results are messy, incoherent and ultimately three times as tedious. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

More Like This


This list looks lonely.
Add a suggestion!

Facts


No facts approved yet. Be the first

Triangle (Tie saa... : Watch Free on TV


Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for Triangle (Tie saam gok). Want to create one?

Video Clips


No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists


Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?