The Triangle (2005)

(On DVD, May 2006) After watching far too many awful TV miniseries, my hope weren’t high for The Triangle –but I enjoy being pleasantly surprised, and it doesn’t take much time for this miniseries to intrigue: The opening credits are a visual joy to behold, and the first few scenes efficiently set up both the characters and the mystery at the heart of the story. Writer Rockne S. O’Bannon is not a novice, and his TV experience on shows such as Farscape shines brightly on this modern take on the Bermuda Triangle. Characters are initially sceptical, but come to be convinced by a bunch of interesting developments, including the salvage of a downed airliner that looks as if it’s aged half a century in only a few hours. It’s all fascinating, and if the three-part miniseries can’t eventually match of fulfil the expectations set up by its initial 90 minutes episode, it keeps a level of quality well above the norm for SF miniseries, especially at the Sci-Fi channel. The direction is pleasantly self-assured, juicing up even expository conversation thanks to dynamic camera setups. The numerous CGI shots are as well-done as they bring an extra interest to the story. Not all the plot threads are created equal (the Lou Diamond Philips sequences, in particular, are a bit tedious compared to the other characters), but the level of interest remains high. Too bad that the facile ending can’t explain everything that has popped up in the preceding four-and-a-half hours. Still, an above-average effort that’s worth seeing, especially if your alternative is all of the other straight-to-DVD releases at your local Blockbuster.