The love triangle trope is one that some enjoy (perhaps guiltily), and others despise. Broadly speaking, it refers to a fictional romantic dilemma whereby one character has to choose between two options, both of whom are in love with that person. For whatever reason, there can be only one, which provides conflict between the two options, and a dilemma for the individual being sought after.
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Like all tropes, there are ways to do a love triangle well, and other ways to not do it so well. Below are movies that feature love triangles that either don’t work, feel a bit shoehorned in, or are otherwise unusual and/or notable. Some are interesting, and some are frustrating, but all show off the more divisive aspects of the love triangle trope in action.
‘The Hobbit Trilogy’ (2012-2014)
Most people would agree that the story ofThe Hobbitdidn’t need to be told over three movies that were all between 2.5 and 3 hours long. After all, this precursor toThe Lord of the Ringsis a simpler story that had less source material to adapt, seeing as in the novel, it’s a fairly straightforward adventure that largely sticks with the same group of characters for most of its duration.
In stretching one book into three movies, things needed to be expanded or added to justify so many films, withthe inclusion of a film-exclusive love triangleprobably being the most contested addition. The love triangle between Tauriel, Legolas, and Kili feels forced and distracting, with its inclusion in the trilogy adding next to nothing, and arguably hurting the three films as a whole.
‘Thor: The Dark World’ (2013)
Given thatThor: The Dark Worldis among the most forgettableMCUmovies (whilst arguably not being the worstThormovie), you’d be forgiven for not remembering that it had something of a love triangle. Admittedly, it was in the background, given that most of the movie centered on an also forgettable plot surrounding Thor and Loki reluctantly teaming up against a Dark Elf named Malekith and his army.
Thor is temporarily suggested to be torn between Jane, his Earth girlfriend, and Sif, who his father, Odin, expects him to be with. Sif and Jane seem uncomfortable around each other, but things don’t go very far, and it’s not addressed in future movies. Like much ofThe Dark World, the romantic tension feels half-baked and a little bit pointless.
The ‘Twilight’ series (2008-2012)
TheTwilightseries contains perhaps the most infamous love triangle of the 21st century so far. Whilst it doesn’t become a significant plot point until film #2 out of 5, protagonist Bella being torn between Edward (a vampire) and Jacob (a werewolf) is probably the most well-remembered part of theTwilightseries' story, for better or worse.
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Some fans of theTwilightfilms got wrapped up in this romantic drama, and it led to people picking a side, being either “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob,” based on who they wanted Bella to be with. The fact the love triangle was so melodramatic and unintentionally comical also makes it the best part of the series for those who enjoyTwilightironically. Maybe it’s the rare case where, despite the love triangle’s silliness, both sides sort of win?
‘Star Wars’ (1977) & ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)
There’s a surprising amount ofromance throughout theStar Warsseries. While the science-fiction series is most concerned with an eternal fight between good and evil in a galaxy far, far away, the constant war and conflict don’t stop many of the series' main characters from falling in (and out) of love.
The most famous love triangle inStar Warsdidn’t seem all that silly or uncomfortable at the time. Audiences were under the impression that Luke and Leia weren’t related throughoutStar Warsand its sequel,The Empire Strikes Back, so to have both Luke and Han Solo as potential love interests in Leia made sense. But returning to these movies after discovering the revelation inReturn of the Jedithat Luke and Leia are actually related? It suddenly makes the love triangle far harder to swallow…
‘This Means War’ (2012)
The whole premise ofThis Means Warrevolves around a love triangle, and it’s telling that it came out around the time that the trope was at its peak popularity. It mashes together an action/spy movie with a romantic-comedy by being about two CIA agents who are both in love with the same woman, and compete with each other for her affection.
It’s been rightfully forgotten since 2012, and goes to show that building an entire movie around a love triangle isn’t necessarily going to draw in an audience.
‘Saw 3D’ (2010)
Like most movies in the series,Saw 3Dfocuses on a bunch of different characters who are all placed in various traps. Given this was the seventh film in the series, fans knew the drill by now: the traps relate to each victim in some sort of ironic way, and those inside the traps often have to make a difficult choice to escape with their lives.
One such trap inSaw 3Dis goofily (but amusingly) built around the idea of a love triangle, as two men are forced to compete to “win” a girl who’s been seeing the two of them… and she happens to be trapped in there and in danger, too. Eventually, they realize they’ve both been hurt by her, and rather than one man winning, they let her die instead. It’s a gruesome (and likely satirical) take on the love triangle; that’s for sure.
‘Electric Dreams’ (1984)
The romantic conflict in the cult classic 1980s sci-fi/romantic-comedyElectric Dreamsis unlike any other. In it, a man uses his advanced computer to help a neighbor he’s in love with fall for him, but the computer is so high-tech that it eventually begins to understand love, and decides it wants to woo the neighbor for itself.
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As such,Electric Dreamsends up being about a man and a computer who are both after the attention of an attractive young woman. Despite this, it kind of works, and viewers who can get on the film’s level may find themselves surprisingly wrapped up in this quirky (and underrated) 80s comedy.
‘Pearl Harbor’ (2001)
When a movie is calledPearl Harbor, audiences are naturally going to expect it will focus on the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. After all, this was one of the most significant events in World War Two for the USA, as it was what signified Japan declaring war on the United States, and the United States in turn joining the global conflict.
However, a little historical epic/disaster film/romance calledTitanichad come out just a few years before, and was a likely reason why much ofPearl Harborends up focusing on the clumsy love triangle between two pilots and an army nurse. As a war film, it has merit, but there arebetter Pearl Harbor movies out therethat don’t have distracting romance plots.
‘The Hunger Games’ series (2012-2015)
While most of theHunger Gamesseries focuses on a violent post-apocalyptic sporting event and an eventual revolution, it also finds time for a love triangle. The main character, Katniss, is torn between her childhood friend, Gale Hawthorne, and her fellow Hunger Games competitor, Peeta Mellark.
It gets played up a little more in the movies than the books, which may be thanks to the popularity of the love triangle in the other big young adult adaptation movie series of that time,Twilight. It can be a little distracting and isn’t as interesting as the main plot, but it’s certainly not the worst triangular romance in history.
‘Eternals’ (2021)
Eternalswas a little too busy for its own good. With somany new characters to introduce, and thousands of years of backstory to establish, it all felt overstuffed, with its 2.5+ hour runtime not even being enough to have everything feel properly fleshed out and narratively satisfying.
Within the movie’s ambitious storyline was also a love triangle, featuring protagonist Sersi being torn between Dane and fellow Eternal Ikaris (who, funnily enough, are both played byGame of Thronescast members). It’s something that wasn’t really needed, further showing thatEternalsbit off more than it could chew.
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