Home Page > Movies Index (w/mixed oldies) > > Movie Review

This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.

Paranormal Paradise

Plot Overview

Three college alumni Tommy Devane (Dan Cortese,) Stu Sheridan (Luke Perry,) and Gus Gruber (David Hewlett) embark on their annual vacation Fantasy Island Express together to an exotic locale. This year it's to charter a deep sea fishing vessel fishing out of San Sebastián Island in the Caribbean. Tommy is an over­worked lawyer—falling asleep at his desk—who'd moved to cold, windy Chicago. He wants a break from the climate and to recharge his batteries. Stu has over­extended him­self on a start-up and wants to forget his troubles back home and show off his trophy fiancée Julia “Jules” Lee (Polly Shannon) to his buddies. Gus has spotty employment. He has developed an interest in the para­normal and wants to indulge his curiosity about the Bermuda Triangle.

Jules has trouble fitting into a “guys' beer-swilling, fishing weekend” (“This isn't fun, any­more”,) but she relents (“I don't wanna be a drag on the trip”) and lets them continue.

When their vacation is over, Tommy—falling asleep in the boat—is more tired than before he left and has a wicked sun­burn, Stu is the trophy hanging from the wall, and Gus got scared to death by a ghost.

Ideology

There's a special section in the middle of the Bible called the wisdom books. They're layered by perspective. First comes the book of Job, which is a long dispute that concludes God's wisdom is above man's and he doesn't tell us every­thing. Then comes the book of Psalms presenting wisdom in lyrics. Proverbs is next, for the most part the wisdom a father passes on to his son, but the next-to-the-last chapter (30) is street smarts that one's friends might impart, and the last chapter (31) is the wisdom home reading a mother passes on to her son. Then comes Ecclesiastes preaching wisdom got by experience. Finally, there's the Song of Solomon, the wisdom spouted by someone in love.

photographer“The Triangle” a buddy movie presents the street smarts (Prov. 30:1) one guy might pass on to his buddy if he were so inclined. See, (Prov. 30:7-9) “Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” Gus got tripped up with vain superstition, he took a photo of a voodoo ceremony that was not captured on his camera in the frame. That's to say nothing about the ghost ship they encountered at sea. Both Stu and Tommy fed lines (i.e. lied) to girls. Stu dissembled to Jules about his financial insolvency, and Tommy made a quip to first mate Charlotte 'Charlie' Duval (Olivia d'Abo) regarding his non-existent life­guard experience. If one wants to avoid the “dense yellow haze” encountered on this trip, he's better off avoiding vanity and lies; they cause brain fog.

Too much wealth or too little for sustenance can each result in a fugue. When Stu struck it rich scavenging treasure from a derelict luxury liner according to the law of the sea, he lost his religion, became unhinged, went around the bend like a madman with­out any accountability.

integrated poolThe skipper Captain Louis Morgan (Dorian Harewood) was a black man barely scraping by with his rust bucket the Blue Parrot on tourist leavings. After some ill-advised gambling, he couldn't afford to turn down an opportune charter despite his iffy fuel pump. They were all in the same boat when out at sea Capt. Morgan's motor gave out (“Fuel pump's busted,”) his radio quit (“Radio's shot,”) and the navigation went hay­wire (“We can't tell where we are,”) causing him to declare, “G.d. thing shorted out, I think.” Stu also swore (“Damn”) when the ATM had refused disburse­ment of cash. Poverty breeds stress-induced blasphemy.

Production Values

” (2001) was directed by Lewis Teague. Its teleplay was written by Ted Humphrey from a story by Bing Howen­stein & Ted Humphrey. Cast exposure was pretty evenly divided with passable performances by Luke Perry, Dan Cortese, David Hewlett, Polly Shannon, Olivia d'Abo, and Dorian Hare­wood. The plot resembles that of “The Shining.” This one was made for TV. For a similar movie house tale, see “Ghost Ship” (2002.)

It was rated Canada: PG. It contains a couple curse words, a swim­suit scene, and lots of kissing. The special effects were pervasive but unobtrusive. Ric Waite's cinema­tog­raphy was most keen. Lawrence Shragge's score was eerie. The characters were sympathetic. It was shot in paradisal Barbados.

Review Conclusion w/a Christian's Recommendation

I liked this movie because it was spooky but not so much as to terrorize my dreams. It was steadily paced and the tension taut until the very end. See it for its predictable scares.

Movie Ratings

Action factor: Well done action flick. Suitability for children: Suitable for children with guidance. Special effects: Well done special effects. Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day. Suspense: Don't watch this movie alone. Overall movie rating: Three stars out of five.