Master of social discomfort Ruben Östlund trains his unsparing lens on the world of wealth, beauty, and privilege in this audacious, Palme d’Or–winning satire of our status-obsessed culture. A model-influencer couple (Harris Dickinson and Charlbi Dean) get a ticket to the luxe life when they’re invited aboard an all-expenses-paid cruise alongside a coterie of the rich and ghoulish—but an act of fate turns their Insta-perfect world upside down. Pushing each provocative set piece to its outré extreme, Östlund maps the shifting social hierarchies with the irreverence of a modern-day Luis Buñuel and the incisiveness of a cinematic anthropologist.

For in-depth thoughts on Triangle Of Sadness, please see my colleague Kelly Kantrowitz’s review from its TIFF screening here.

Video Quality

Triangle Of Sadness comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray in an AVC encoded transfer from a 4K master approved by director Ruben Östlund in 2.39:1 without any form of HDR courtesy of The Criterion Collection. While the lack of HDR/Dolby Vision is a bit disappointing, this release provides an astounding presentation that presents this film with nary an imperfection. This transfer brings so much vivid life to each environment, whether it be the opulence of the boat or the bereft reality of the shipwrecked beach. The digital aesthetic maintains a crisp and appealing appearance that makes some elements feel almost three dimensional in its clarity. The increase in fine detail for the 4K UHD version is incremental but appreciated.

Cinematographer Fredrik Wenzel captures some gorgeous, sun-drenched shots which really wow on this format. Colors are brilliantly suffused in a way that radiates off the screen despite the lack of HDR. The movie has a vivid, natural color palette which is represented with great authenticity. Nothing is candy colored or artificially boosted, but it becomes a visual showcase all the same. Throughout you will notice the deep black levels that show no signs of the compression artifacts or crush which pop up in the streaming version. Highlights are likewise more stable with blooming never popping up as a problem. Skin tones look natural to their narrative intention throughout the runtime with fine detail such as perspiration standing out. There is no evidence of any digital nuisances throughout the runtime. The included Blu-Ray is pretty stellar on its own, but the 4K UHD Blu-Ray is slightly more refined and impressive.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that consistently shows its worth. Some may find the lack of a Dolby Atmos track to be disappointing, but this track is no slouch in the slightest with many environmental elements providing an immersive experience. The sound design is very precise with sounds positioned creatively and naturally within the mix. The outdoor noises along with the ambiance of certain interiors like the chatter during the captain’s dinner party make for a really textured soundscape. The low end is not constantly engaged, but it adds some welcome texture when the story calls for it. The music-driven elements are realized impeccably here with an enveloping use of the surround speakers that maintains precise fidelity. Dialogue comes through crystal clear at all points. This is a stellar audio presentation that excels on all fronts. There are optional English and English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Triangle Of Sadness includes a foldout booklet featuring the essay “The Captain’s Dinner Is Coming Up” by critic A.S. Hamrah in which he provides a great amount of insight into and analysis of the film that helps highlight the deeper themes on display, the connections to other work from Östlund and more. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Ruben Östlund and Johan Jonason: A 19-minute interview with Östlund and filmmaker and actor Johan Jonason in which the director discusses recurring ideas and themes within his work, gaining inspiration from his wife, the different beliefs between younger and older generations, his writing process, exploring various hierarchies, how the casting process differed on this film, challenging the conventions of class dynamics and so much more that gives great context to his approach with this film.

Erik, The Extra: A 15-minute video which follows producer Erik Hemmendorff as he makes his first appearance on film during a particularly precarious and filthy scene. This video reveals many conversations that were had to make this memorable sequence a reality from shot composition to costumes and practical effects.

Visual Effects Demonstration: A nearly seven-minute look at some of the visual effects implemented, many of which you would never guess had been touched. This is a very eye-opening featurette.

Deleted Scenes: A 13-minute selection of unused footage is provided here including Yaya and Carl discussing wedding rings, Yaya inquiring about the secret of a happy marriage, scenes of the survivors trying to endure the nighttime frights and more.

Trailer: The nearly three-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Triangle Of Sadness is another case of effective cultural excoriation from the merciless Ruben Östlund. The journey into this world is a rollercoaster filled with appropriately cringeworthy moments and deliciously barbed exchanges. The performances are perfectly realized across the board. The film is a bit unnecessarily long in a way that hinders the momentum, but the highs are consistent enough that you can forgive a bit of creative indulgence. The Criterion Collection has released a terrific new 4K UHD Blu-Ray with an A+ audio/visual presentation and some rewarding special features. The blend of sheer entertainment with effective social commentary makes this a worthy watch. Recommended

The Criterion Collection edition of Triangle Of Sadness will be available to purchase on April 25, 2023 on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.