M Night Shyamalan's latest film 'Trap' (2024) is testament to his creativity and ability to come up with gripping concepts.
However, it also shows that even the most experienced storytellers can stumble if a film's plot is not handled with care.
The director has built his career on unique plots and unexpected twists, think 'Sixth Sense' and 'Signs', so there's always a lot of hope when pressing play and this time was no different.
'Trap' is a psychological thriller starring Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Night Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Alison Pill.
It is centered on Cooper Abbott (Hartnett), a Philadelphia firefighter who takes his teenage daughter, Riley, to a music concert as a reward for performing well in school.
What starts off as a normal evening quickly turns into a night of suspense and danger, because Cooper is not just a firefighter; he's also a notorious serial killer known as 'The Butcher' and the FBI have covered all the concert venue exits to trap and capture him.
In the first half of the film, Shyamalan - who is also the co-writer - does a good job of building a world filled with suspense and intrigue. The setting is also interesting in that he must keep his cool around a horde of concert goers, including his daughter, while also skillfully planning his escape.
Truthfully, I was on the edge of my seat for a lot of it and curious to see where it would go next. The limits placed on him as a character also allowed for some interesting ingenuity and the small twists were somewhat unpredictable.
The diverse supporting cast added to the intrigue. Donoghue's performance as a teenager unwittingly caught in her father's lies gives you the right amount of anxiety, while Saleka's portrayal of a pop star takes a surprising turn, as she's forced into a dangerous game of survival.
Josh Hartnett's performance as Cooper is especially stellar. He plays a seemingly loving father who hides a chilling secret - and a man trapped in his basement - oscillating between caring and cold-blooded.
This really adds depth to the narrative but as the film progresses, things start to unravel.
It starts to feel less like a thriller rooted in reality and more like a caricature of one, as though the writers understand the general premise of psychological torture but have not refined it well enough.
At some point Cooper, our serial killer, begins to feel strangely invincible. He dodges bullets, survives being tased twice and evades capture in ways that push the boundaries of believability.
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This, I think, is where Shyamalan's writing could have benefited from a bit more grounding and fine tuning, especially once the location changes from the concert hall to the outside world and the lead is no longer technically trapped.
Don't get me wrong; it is a gripping watch and it keeps you engaged, but you can't help but feel that it could have done more. There are also a few storylines that lead to dead ends, which I think deserved deeper exploring.
I'm not saying 'Trap' is a bad film. In fact I think people should go see it for themselves and make their own judgements. It's worth watching if you're a fan of psychological thrillers or if Shyamalan's unique style appeals to you.
- Anne Hambuda is a poet, writer and social commentator. Follow her online or email her annehambuda@gmail.com.
