"TRAP" Disappoints (Spoilers)

Photo by Warner Bros

Before I get into this, let's address something. People say you can't compare M. Night Shyamalan's films because they're all different. Why this might be true, even though they're all different, they all seem to have a pretty unique twist to them which is why we love his movies so much. On that note, I'll say this...there is a twist, but it's not as grand as his others (i.e. The Village). But don't let that overstep Josh Hartnett's performance as a maniacal serial killer.

So let's start with the trailer. The trailer tells us that the entire concert is actually a trap for a serial killer who is supposed to be attending, and then we shortly figure out that Josh is actually the killer. Now let's pause for a moment. Doesn't this sound like they just gave away the movie? What other twist could they have put in to this film? This is the logic they wanted to throw in your head to make you come find out the answers.

The concept of having a concert be set up as a trap to catch someone is something I haven't seen done before. It really makes you wonder if this would actually happen in real life and after you see this film, it's something that can very much be a real thing. However, the movie answers this in such a unrealistic way that it's hard to even buy into the fact that this guy will escape. Also, we live in a world where heightened security at an event is normal but this film takes it to entirely different level. Let me remind you, they're trying to catch a serial killer...not a terrorist...so why do they have everyone but the national guard here? Just seems a bit over the top and I'm pretty sure if this amount of security showed up at a event, people would start to panic and think it's something way bigger than trying to catch a serial killer.

So let's talk about the story a bit. They unraveled so much info over the duration of this film that there was nothing really left to surprise you once you came to the end. Remember when I said they solved this unrealistically? Let's break that down. First off, the guy selling the shirts at the concert. When he runs out of the size for Josh's daughter, Riley (played by Ariel Donaghue) the guy says "Oh I have some down in my stock room, I'll go get some" and Josh says "I'll go with you" and the salesman let's him go down into the stockroom to get the shirt. WHAT?! Give me a break. When was the last time you went down into a stockroom at a concert with the guy? Then during that interaction, the guy ends up spilling the secret phrase that only the concert employees know in case they come in contact with the killer. Why would this guy just give the info to him? This whole scene was just stupid. And that's just one of many. Another is towards the end when Josh realizes he's forced to have to go through security to exit out the arena even though he's backstage with the performer. While he does manage to exit the arena with the performer (again, what?!) the performer comes up with a bright idea to actually drop them off at his house instead of their car. Mind you, she knows he's the killer because he told her. So all of that is just so unrealistic. There's no way any of that would actually happen in real life and, yes, I know it's a movie. But atleast make it interesting. This is just downright ridiculous.

Switching gears to some positive things about this film. Josh's acting, at first, completely comes off terrible. For a moment, I was questioning "Is he really this bad at acting?" and then it dawned on me as the film went on. He's not only a serial killer, he's also a maniac. So his weird acting with others totally makes sense and he does a damn good job fooling you. Bravo on Josh for fulfilling that. His daughter did a great job playing the high energy teen girl who can clearly see that her dad is acting completely weird but just goes along with it. M. Night Shyamalan, once again, makes a cameo in the film pretending to be the performers relative and becomes Josh's way backstage. Here's a fun fact: the performer on stage is actually M. Night Shyamalan's daughter who not only sang during the concert but also wrote all the songs too. Very talented family! During the concert, Josh keeps tabs on a older lady the police brought as a profiler. Another fun fact: this lady is the young actress in the original "Parent Trap" film so that's pretty cool irony right there.

Okay so let's talk about that "twist" that M brings to every one of his movies. I'll give you a spoiler...it sucks. So during this entire film, you're focused on whether or not Josh is going to escape and if he does, how? But what you don't think about is WHO set up the trap in the first place? That's where the twist comes in at the end. We end up finding out that his wife set up the trap for him. After finding some questionable items and receipts for things, she puts it together that her husband is the killer and it's revealed that she ratted him out to the cops and, therefore, set up the trap for him. This was such a blow. I really was hoping for it to be revealed that his wife was the actual killer and that she just used her husbands mental issues to her advantage to convince him that he's a killer to cover up for her. That would've been a much better twist but oh well. Also, the movie leaves you on a cliffhanger at the end so you're left thinking there's more to this story.

FINAL THOUGHTS

When you compare this to M's other films, it just doesn't keep up. This also is not dubbed a horror nor did it even feel like a thriller. If anything, this was just a movie version of an escape room. I went in hoping for a suspenseful thriller with a unique twist but ended up leaving dissatisfied and dissapointed. If you are thinking about seeing this film in theatres, I would just wait. Ticket prices are expensive and I don't think this a movie that's worth a ticket. Just wait for it to come on streaming.