Last year, the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival was awarded to "Triangle of Sadness," marking the second time Swedish director Ruben Östlund has received this prestigious award.
Following "The Square" and "Turist," this film serves as the concluding work in Östlund's "male dilemma trilogy."
Act I: The film attempts to play with role reversal from the very beginning. The male and female leads are both models, a field where females dominate in terms of income, and Yaya's earnings are three times that of Carl. Despite this, Yaya intentionally ignores the bill on the table, expecting her boyfriend to willingly pay. Carl's anger stems not only from always having to foot the bill but also from Yaya's broken promise of "I'll treat you next time." Breaking such gender norms creates an extremely awkward situation, providing the tension in the drama.
As a male viewer, when Carl stubbornly questions the situation, my emotions are conflicted. I feel the shame of scrutinizing a man's every penny after empathizing with the character, yet there's a subtle satisfaction in someone else articulating the accumulated grievances. It proves that I am both a passive recipient and an active executor of these gender dynamics. When Yaya later confesses that she intentionally avoids paying to test if Carl would take care of her if she couldn't work one day due to pregnancy, it logically makes sense. However, revealing this motive after the argument feels somewhat like a last-minute excuse. Whether Carl is truly concerned about fairness rather than money remains unknown. As a comedian humorously said, when someone claims, "It's not about money," it often is about money. After all, as the captain later emphasizes, nobody looks in the mirror and sees a wild beast; people strive to prove themselves right in their beliefs.
Act II: Beneath Carl's polished exterior lies a petty and malicious character. When Yaya, wearing a bikini, greets a bearded sailor on the deck, Carl becomes jealous and persistently convinces Yaya that such behavior is inappropriate. He even praises the sailor's physique, asking if Yaya agrees, to which she knowingly nods, further fueling Carl's frustration. While this scenario is a common outbreak of possessiveness in a relationship, Carl takes it a step further by sneakily reporting to the supervisor that a sailor on the deck, bare-chested and smoking, is inappropriate—an act of pure pettiness.
Examining Carl's reaction to the diamond ring, it becomes evident that he is sensitive to expensive bills. Some suggest that he looks at the ring right after reporting the sailor to feign wealth, ensuring the supervisor takes the complaint seriously. This adds a layer of manipulation to Carl's character.
Act III: An IT tycoon attempts to flirt with attractive women but lacks experience. After hesitating, he gathers the courage to approach the bar, asking Yaya and the mistress of a fertilizer merchant for a photo. Carl and the fertilizer merchant sit nearby, mocking the IT tycoon. However, the women unexpectedly invite the IT tycoon for a photo, and he gets excited, claiming to have just sold his company for a fortune. This portrayal of the IT tycoon is comically crude, showcasing his lack of charm without his wealth as leverage. The mistress suggests Yaya reveal more skin in the photo, and Yaya willingly dances in front of the IT tycoon. While not motivated by gold-digging intentions, their actions seem indifferent to the men's concerns. Yaya, aware of Carl's jealousy, still acts independently, observing his reactions as if it were an amusing spectacle. This aligns with her earlier statement about being skilled in mental control, mirroring the psychology of many socialites.
Back in the room, Yaya intentionally asks if Carl is jealous, and instead of questioning Yaya, Carl engages in a scripted adult video scenario. This is a common coping mechanism for men, using sexual conquest to alleviate the frustration of losing dignity.
Act IV: The second identity swap occurs when the fertilizer merchant's wife suggests swapping roles with the female server. However, this exchange is false and malicious, appearing as a favor but is condescending and commanding. Disregarding the tasks the staff must complete, the wealthy woman first has the server wear a uniform to the pool, then instructs everyone to play on the waterslide. The camera focuses on the smiling face of the server, masking her inner resentment and repulsion. Despite potential troubles, and having clearly expressed her refusal, she follows through with this absurd demand due to her strict training.
Notably, the supervisor has an important role. Initially unwilling to entertain the irrational request, she attempts to delegate the task to the first mate but is blocked by the inebriated captain, forcing her to comply. Her job includes molding the crew into the image desired by the passengers. When faced with risk, she pushes responsibility onto others to maintain her position. This reflects the classic middle management dilemma.
Act V:
Due to the captain's constant alcoholism, communication with the supervisor is garbled, and the captain's dinner is scheduled for the stormy Thursday. The rocking ship distorts everyone's posture in the dining room. Despite severe seasickness, some feign composure, vomiting discretely, while others sit stoically. However, as the vomiting intensifies, especially for the fertilizer merchant's wife, the scene devolves into chaos. The attempt to preserve elegance fails as people abandon their seats, and the supervisor continues distributing ginger candy, attempting to salvage dignity and ritual amid the mess.
Soon, only the captain (an American Marxist) and the fertilizer merchant (a Russian capitalist) remain at the table, engaging in a proverbial battle of their beliefs. They drunkenly run to the captain's room, using the ship's broadcast to advocate for their ideologies. In the passengers' rooms, some suffer from severe sickness, while others endure the chaos. Pirates eventually blow up the yacht, scattering everyone adrift. A couple who developed grenades accidentally die, marking a form of karmic justice.
This absurd sequence is a metaphor for our world. Intense ideological clashes, political grandstanding, maintaining a facade of nobility by the elite—all while the world sinks with atrocities, ridiculous events, unpredictable changes, and enduring hardships. The director's intent is to shatter the illusion of civilization, exposing its collapse within moments.
Act VI: During the captain's dinner, a wealthy woman complains about the dirty sail, demanding it be cleaned. The captain explains it's not feasible as the yacht is motorized and lacks a sail; what she sees is likely the ceiling of the deck. She persists, consulting her husband and claiming a dirty sail is visible. The captain agrees to clean it, and the supervisor reassures that the issue will be resolved. This scene underscores the absurdity of her complaint and highlights the captain's disinterest in appeasing the upper class. The supervisor's "overcompensation" for the elite reinforces her precarious role.
I believe that no one understands their ship better than the captain and the first mate. This ship must definitely be without sails, echoing the captain's statement: people will go to great lengths to prove themselves right. He disdains arguing, saying, "If you say so, then so be it." Judging from his Marxist beliefs and extremely lazy work attitude, he clearly has no fondness for the bourgeois on the ship. The supervisor's "extraordinary" quality lies in her willingness to acknowledge your absurd statements, even when she knows you are wrong, just to please the upper class.
Ⅶ When the group first drifted to the deserted island, the fertilizer merchant questioned the identity of the Black crew members, while the Black crew member believed that the mistrust was solely because of his race. The supervisor mediated the conflict, telling the fertilizer merchant that she doesn't know every employee on the ship, so the Black man might be telling the truth. At the same time, she advised the Black man not to accuse the merchants of racial discrimination, as it is a serious charge in Europe. After saying these things, the supervisor continued to check the conditions of other passengers.
However, it's worth noting that at this moment, the mute woman is sitting in the rubber boat filled with seawater, reaching out for help from the supervisor. The supervisor tells her to wait, and the Black man and the Russian merchant next to her ignore her. This reminds me of many real-life situations where everyone focuses on disputes about correctness and wording, neglecting those who truly need help.
Ⅷ The detachment from the original society results in the redistribution of resources and the reshaping of social classes. Whoever has the strongest physique and the most powerful wilderness survival skills holds the discourse power. "The Tragedy Triangle" involves the third and fourth identity shifts, not just about class but also gender. The director portrays the new leader as a woman, a Filipino janitor on the yacht. She can fish, make fire, and even preserves a backpack of food resources during the drift. If you want her to share smoked squid with you, you must first acknowledge her current "captain" status. Meanwhile, the Rolex and Patek Philippe watches of the IT tycoon and fertilizer merchant can only exchange for the right to sleep one night in the lifeboat.
I've seen people praise the resilience of janitors and even Yaya, saying they are independent women. Judging from the janitor's survival skills, there's nothing wrong with such comments. But, pardon my straightforwardness, what I perceive is not how the author expresses it. What I see is that when a woman gains power, she starts to wield it, consolidating her privileges. Meanwhile, the original elites would lower themselves, even grovel, especially in public.
What's most interesting is that the janitor engages in sexual transactions using her resources and power. Knowing that Carl's girlfriend is present, she monopolizes the youngest, most handsome man among them, even making Karl serve her discreetly in public. This is no different from male dominance over females in primitive society or workplace sexual harassment by leaders in today's society. Carl's degrading words like "Give me fish, and I'll love you" are typical of a soft rice man and a materialistic woman's tone. He even discusses with the janitor whether to confess to Yaya, openly being together. As a ruler's male favorite, he loses all dignity, though he still has some sense of shame, he never resists.
In summary, what the director wants to satirize and explore is not specific individuals but certain concepts composed of a group of humans. It's not about tainting a specific capitalist or a man; it's about demonstrating the lamentable nature of humanity when placed in a particular position.
Ⅸ When the janitor distributes the squid, the supervisor is very surprised. She is the character with the strongest sense of class among all the people. As a middle manager, the supervisor's identity is already very delicate. She is very servile when facing wealthy guests, smiling at everyone and trying to meet all demands. However, when facing the janitor who is attempting a "rebellion," she uses her authority. This is not the first time; before, when she asked the first mate for help to reject passengers, an employee resting nearby was ordered back to work just to smile.
The pitiful aspect of the supervisor is that she is accustomed to her class and even believes in it. After the class is reshaped, she momentarily doesn't understand why she should listen to a janitor's orders. But she quickly adapts to the new order. After Carl and the Black man secretly eat biscuits, she whispers to the janitor that they should be punished. Although she may privately scold the janitor for shamelessly seizing a man, she once again firmly stands with the upper class on the surface. When reading this description, can you think of certain people in real life?
Ⅹ In the end, the janitor and Yaya discover that this is not a deserted island but a resort. The janitor stops Yaya, who is about to enter the elevator, claiming to need to urinate but actually raising a stone behind her. The janitor has no children, no worries; she has completed her leap from the lower class to the ruling class on this island, with a young and handsome bed companion. Of course, she wants to kill the person who is about to break it all. All rulers hope to rule forever, regardless of the size of their power.
Regarding the open-ended ending, my interpretation is that the janitor killed Yaya, returned alone to the residence, possibly claiming she couldn't find Yaya or telling him that Yaya died unexpectedly. Upon hearing the news, Carl rushes into the forest to find Yaya or her body. As for what happens next, whether they continue to be kept in the dark, the janitor maintains control, or they quickly discover that it's a resort and return to normal society, all is possible.
I have also seen other interpretations, such as Yaya not being dead. On the other side, Carl and the others may have encountered the indigenous trader the mute woman encountered, learning that this is not an isolated island. So, Carl runs to inform them of this good news. I agree with the latter part, but I don't believe there will be a sudden happy ending. Even if Carl's sprint is to deliver the news, I still believe Yaya will be stoned to death. If this is the case, the subsequent plot is Carl excitedly rushing to the back mountain, only to discover that Yaya has been killed. In the end, the others return to civilized society, leaving Yaya's body forever on the island, creating another kind of despairing ending.
Regardless of the direction the plot takes, I am more inclined to the janitor killing Yaya, as it aligns better with the overall storyline. One crucial point is Yaya's offer to the janitor, "After we leave, you can be my assistant," which many believe is the reason for the janitor's hesitation. Initially, I understood it this way too, but now I think the janitor did not perceive the goodwill in this statement. Instead, it may have increased her determination to commit murder. Because being a model assistant would essentially make the janitor Yaya's servant, and someone who has just transitioned from a servant to a position of power is unlikely to feel gratitude for such a proposal.
However, coming back to it, whether the janitor actually killed Yaya is not essential. What matters is that the janitor entertained the thought of killing Yaya. It's not a matter of good or evil but a matter of position.
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