MovieChat Forums > The Triangle (2005) Discussion > The check(s)??

The check(s)??

posted 19 years ago by TheSeeker7
15 replies | jump to latest

Okay now that last scene with Eric Stoltz really lost me.

So, I think I get it that, whatever exactly they did, they closed the whole of the Bermuda Triangle effectively so that the phenomanon never even happened, and they each got plunked down into different realities the next morning (which, even with that, are they suggesting that like in the case of the Catherine Bell character and the Australian guy, that those 2 don't even know the loves ones they're now with? the 'boyfriend' and the 'family'? that these are just the people that our 2 characters happened to end up with in an alternate life?) And so, the entire rest of the world doesn't remember any of it, it became erased, like I said it literally never happened, but each of our heros remember everything about the journey. Yea, I think I got it so far.

But then, when our 4 heros are leaving the corporate office at the end having been denied by the "other" Sam Neill character, when they cut to the shot on the next floor of (presumably the Neill character we'd come to be familiar with) looking down upon them leaving with a strange grin on his face... Are they implying that HE does in fact remember everything about it all, too? And he's even keeping that all secret from his brother (the "acting CEO" of the company as we met there at the end)? Because Stolts then opens the check at the end -- I guess the meaning there is that each of the 4 got checks? Not just Stoltz? Because at first I thought they were trying to make something out of that, that mysteriously only he was getting money now. And plus, the little bit with him holding that trinket or whatever it was, looking at it curiously then dropping it in the fish tank -- I have NO IDEA what the significance was of that. If they introduced that with him prior in the story I totally missed it.

[–] offput 19 years ago

His brother winston is the CFO not the CEO, he handles the money, and yes they are implying that Eric Benirall remembers the events as well. They are also implying that they all get the money but one scene is much better than four even when composed in a montage style. In fact, they might just by implying that the SIX main characters (through the sheer chance of being the main characters) remember everything. If characters don't remember you can't have the denouement, you have the climax and then nobody remembers anything and you'd have to give another set of boring character introductions as these people will likely have bizarrely different personalities. (I notice a lot of people complain about the memory thing, but just accept it, you'll never see a time travel paradox story where the main charcters don't inexplicably remember the alternate realities; it's just the way these things work.) Some of em got new family others kept their old families. The idea was to show that everything is really different while still making stoltz's character wake up with his wife cause a lot of screen time was invested in that relationship.

The cross was the cross they found on the spanish guy on the benirall ship in the first part of the miniseries; as for why he threw it into his fishtank knowingly, I defer to the belief that there's stuff in movies that doesn't actually make sense but seems like it could and because no-one wants to ask what it means and look stupid and so they go along with it. Then again, I'm sure the director had a reason in his mind for that beat. Maybe something to do with returning the cross to the sea or something, who knows and who cares it's a throwaway shot at the end of the miniseries so we end on scenery rather than a human face (which by the way, 90% of all movies, tv episodes, et al end on scenery or animals rather than human faces and 74.3% of all statistics are invented on the spot).

hope that shed some light and didn't insult you too much; it's a force of habit with me. just ask your mom and she'll tell you about all the insults I threw at her last night...

[–] Eric-1226 19 years ago

"...90% of all movies, tv episodes, et al end on scenery or animals rather than human faces and 74.3% of all statistics are invented on the spot)."

LOL

[–] timmyfellinthewell1 19 years ago

Ok, here is what I think the deal with the final scene is:

Stoltz is the only one who recieved a check.

The only one who had an episode of "re-living" time was Stoltz. He changed the outcome all by himself, really. By entering that "vortex" or whatever, and by saving a different person from the car in the ocean, and returning to get the others to go along with something that he could only assure them was the truth. He jumped into it as though he knew what he was doing.

Who is to say that he didn't change time again possibly, until he got the outcome that he wanted.

So...with a little bit of faith-leaping, I suspect that he was able to change the outcome of the payment also.

I think the "knowing" smile while he drops that cross into the fishtank shows that he "won" in a way. The others got nothing.

[–] flarbear 19 years ago

Stoltz character doesn't have the ability to change time at will. He did so the first time by jumping into the vortex that the Navy created and that was his one shot to change things.

[–] MinarviaI 19 years ago

He jumped into it as though he knew what he was doing.

I noticed that as well, almost like he knew what was about to happen to him, so he had no fear of what was going to happen to him. Also if you noticed in the first time that he was on the disspearing bridge and looking at the black truck, that passed him by, he had a look on his face that said, "I have been here before somehow." But he couldn't put two and two together, that this was an important point in the time line.

This makes me wonder that Howard might be a sole stuck in Purgatory, forced to relive the cycle over and over again. Why? Who knows. There might of been periods where he failed to break the cycle. I.e., his SUV phased out of that reality, he was killed when the SUV hit the water, he was the only surrivor after that crash. Or in other reality the team that he was on didn't come up with the ripple effect theory and that they accpeted the Navy explation.

When they broke in on him in his room the second time it was clear that one of them knew what was up and the others were along for the ride.

That funny how he took the lead in the last half hour of the final episode. But, I think I would of reacted the same way if I was to relive an important part of my life.

[–] queitus 19 years ago

"
So perhaps Benirall only sent a check to him and the scene with his brother stone-walling them and not letting them challenge him directly was meant to make the others believe that there were no checks so he wouldn't have to explain himself as to why he was showing favoritism - or to have to lie to their faces about not remembering."

Bingo. Benirall remembered too, and knew that Howard was responsible as soon as me responded with him in unison to what he instructed Ackerman to put into his tea. Benirall could tell that he was the real deal, that's why he came back with his tanker, right over the superstructure.

[–] nickelodeon_nl 19 years ago

Of course everybody got the check, its just easier to show you one take rather then 5 or 6!! They all found out what happened so all deserve the money.
Eric just got the chance to stop whats happening, but he still needs everyone!!
So dont think to hard, if you wanna think, go get yourself a degree!!

[–] TheSeeker7 19 years ago

which by the way, 90% of all movies, tv episodes, et al end on scenery or animals rather than human faces and 74.3% of all statistics are invented on the spot).

Gee, 74.3% eh? That's some pretty specific information ya got there LL

And um, I didn't really take ANY of your post as insult to me, until that is you inexplicably took a lame shot at my mother, whatever the hell THAT was about. D*ckhead.

[–] flarbear 19 years ago

The reason the cross was in the envelope was that it showed that Benirall really did know he/they were telling the truth. "Here's your check man, sorry my brother didn't understand you but, wink, wink, we both know where this cross came from, eh?"

[–] LinnenLove87 15 years ago

That makes the most sense! Easily. Glad you shared that - I was kind of wondering.. :)

I carry your heart; I carry it in my heart.

[–] flarbear 19 years ago

Stoltz' character very well could have been the only one to get a check.

If Benirall remembered what had happened he would have realized that Stoltz character was the one to go back in time to change things to break the cycle. When he showed up in the "past" with the scientist he brought them the story of the Triangle. When they broke in on him in his room the second time it was clear that one of them knew what was up and the others were along for the ride.

So perhaps Benirall only sent a check to him and the scene with his brother stone-walling them and not letting them challenge him directly was meant to make the others believe that there were no checks so he wouldn't have to explain himself as to why he was showing favoritism - or to have to lie to their faces about not remembering.

[–] jmbwithcats 16 years ago

Watching it again it seems only Eric's character is acting cock-sure, like he knows he got the check, and when he looks at the letter, it was already opened so he knew what it was beforehand.

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[–] newbeastman 16 years ago

If the triangle was closed and never happened how is the cross still there? Could it not be something that he had in his posession since before his trip back in time? If so, is this a clue to the cheque's origin? There's a lot about this series that I struggle to get my head around but it doesn't detract from it and I like the fact that it makes me thing about these things.

[–] jmbwithcats 16 years ago

I agree the cross being present in the end proves quite the dillema.

And since nothing was hinted at to it's alternate path besides the linear, we must conclude that The Triangle is simply chalkful of plot holes.

Still a fa ntastic and enjoyable series, but nonetheless not a perfect movie on time travel, as most tend to have these types of artistic license albeit major plot errors all the same.

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[–] 16 years ago

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