Trap Review

M. Night Shyamalan is a filmmaker with drive and determination, even if the results are mixed. His 16^th film as a director sees Shyamalan make a tight thriller where a serial killer is stuck in a concert.

Cooper Adams (Josh Hartnett) is a seemingly nice, mild-mannered suburban dad who takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue), to see the big Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan) concert. Cooper’s suspicions are raised by the large police presence, and he soon finds out they are searching for a prolific serial killer.

Shyamalan is a frustrating director. He has made great movies like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, awful ones like The Happening and The Last Airbender, and films like The Village and Old have been divisive. He can be described as a filmmaker who can come up with great premises, but the execution can be hit or miss. Trap was a great example of that description.

Trap seemed like it was going to be a Die Hard-style film but as a horror-thriller instead of an action film. Or to put it another way, its premise was like the underrated Jean-Claude Van Damme film Sudden Death since that film also took place in a crowded arena. Shyamalan pitched the film as setting Silence of the Lambs in a Taylor Swift concert.

Trap was at its best during the first half. This was when Cooper was stuck in the arena, and he had to prod and probe the staff and police so he could find a way out. He was cunning, resourceful, and since he was a sociopath, he had no issue harming innocent people. Cooper was not like Dexter Morgan who only killed bad people. He acted like Jason Bourne since he was able to acquire equipment, set up distractions, and act on his feet. This part of the film felt like a Hitman mission put to film.

The first half was shown from Cooper’s perspective. He was present in all the scenes and if he did get any information it was because he snuck into a briefing or overheard it on the radio. Shyamalan managed to show Cooper could be a step ahead of the authority, whilst also having a fog of war. A strength of Shyamalan’s is knowing what not to show.

Cooper was a character of duality. One half was a ruthless killer, the other was a charming, approachable man who was good with people. He was also trying to bond with his daughter. Cooper cared for her and tried to help Riley through her school issues. He was a typical dorky dad who was a bit embarrassing because of his dad jokes and attempting young person slang. There was a fair bit of humour due to their relationship. It felt like Hartnett and Shyamalan were trying to make their version of Norman Bates from Psycho, a monstrous killer who was also sympathetic.

Shyamalan has made his reputation as the twist director and this has become one of the reasons why the director has developed a divisive reputation. When Trap moved away from the arena its premise stretched plausibility and took away from the tension. The second half also showed some of Shyamalan’s worst aspects as a writer/director because the dialogue becomes more expository and makes the actors come off as wooden reciting it. Even during the first half of the film, there were issues because Shyamalan seemed like he was setting up details that would be important, but led nowhere, like Lady Raven using an inhaler.

2024 has been the year that Shyamalan has been giving his daughters a career boost. He produced Ishana Night Shyamalan’s debut feature film, and Trap puts Saleka and her music front and centre. Saleka was portrayed as a Taylor Swift/Olivia Rodrigo-style star who had a large female fanbase and was able to have musical guest stars. Her music was fine; it was standard R&B pop, but it would probably appeal more to an older audience than teenyboppers. Saleka got a more prominent role as the film progressed and had a chance to show her acting chop. Whilst it was cruel to say, Saleka was the weakest actor in the ensemble.

Shyamalan has faced criticism for nepotism and there’s some truth to those accusations. But in Shyamalan’s defence he isn’t the first filmmaker to help their children’s entertainment careers, nor will he be the last.

Trap was rated 15 in the UK, but it had a PG-13 rating in the USA. Like The Watchers, Trap was a soft 15, since it wasn’t particularly violent nor had any major swearing or nudity.

Trap was a mid-ranking film in Shyamalan’s filmography. It had a strong first half due to the tension and showing how Cooper operates, but it lost a lot of momentum during the second half.