It’s a Shyamalan double! Yes, like daughter, like father…? We’ve had The Watchers, M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter’s directorial debut, but now it’s Daddy’s turn to return to the director’s chair. Having now seen Trap, this is a movie I’m definitely glad that I didn’t see a trailer for initially. A mate asked a few months ago what I thought of Trap, and my response was how I don’t like to see many trailers (unless it’s part of the hype, as with a comic book movie), and I certainly avoid trailers for a Shyamalan movie, where twists are assumed, and I won’t see anything that even sat next to a potential spoiler in gym class! The less time I have to speculate on the flow of a movie, the better.
Cooper Abbott (Josh Harnett) is such a good father, taking his tween-age daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to see her favourite popstar in concert. He notices a larger-than-normal security presence, consisting of police and also FBI, and is eager to get clued in on what’s going on. It turns out the authorities have gotten wind that a local serial killer, known as the Butcher, will be attending this concert today, and all exits have been sealed to make escape near impossible. For all intents and purposes, a trap has been set, and the Butcher is in crisis.
Because I hadn’t seen any trailer beyond the 5 second mark, I had no idea of this actual premise; but I love how the movie starts, with a father and daughter, and the excitement of a humungous concert 🤗 Cooper starts to notice the large police presence, and it’s the perfect amount of weird, where you wouldn’t do anything, if it were you, other than notice it and be a little uneasy. Fathers start to be escorted out of the arena by armed guards, and I started to think, “is this going to be a movie like Snake Eyes, where I need to be making mental note of all the details passing by, as Cooper and his daughter look around?” But then, the movie shifts quite suddenly, and this doting daddy is a methodical serial killer, facing the biggest challenge of his life; sprung in a stadium sized rat trap, and needing to figure out how to chew through the cage. All the while not alerting his daughter to his double identity. Let the games begin!
I actually love how the character of Riley stays consistent throughout; and while our perception of her father dramatically shifts, she is none the wiser, and we suddenly know more than she does. The movie and the way it is structured, slithers around like a snake, cautiously and confidently, without giving too many indications of the next move it could take, and I was impressed. I think some other movies would do similar, but rachet up the tension as it goes, but Trap always keeps a monotonal atmosphere, although we change location a few times to keep it fresh – which isn’t necessarily a compliment, but I didn’t mind it for being its own thing. Cynically though, I’m surprised by how many people Shyamalan thinks go to concerts and don’t watch them! The hallways are always packed, at the food stands or merchandising stalls, all while Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan) is singing her heart out on stage 🤷♂️ But it’s a tradeoff, on behalf of the movie, and I get it, because Trap would be no fun if Cooper is skulking down every corridor and the floors were completely empty – the movie would lack energy, and it would be damn obvious that Cooper was the murderer. I also conjured another query that threatened to derail the premise for me – how is it that the authorities know the Butcher purchased tickets for this concert, but have no clue about his name or appearance? But then the movie essentially dedicates the entire third act to answering that question for me, so I’ll consider all bases covered 😅 That’s why you don’t write a review at the halfway point; you need to give a movie it’s full time to bring ideas to fruition!
I was probably too young to appreciate Josh Harnett as a teen heartthrob sex symbol when I’m sure his pull-out posters were in all the magazines. When would’ve that been? Around Pearl Harbour? Them be my Britney Spears and Hilary Duff days 😍 But I’m all for the Harnett renaissance – I really adored him in Oppenheimer, disappointed to leave him out of my Slice Awards actually, as he reminded me of a Val Kilmer with that gravitas. His goofy Dad energy in the earlier moments of this movie are spot-on, and his twisted mind as the Butcher allows him to have fun, without ever taking it too far, I don’t think. Thumbs up from me again 👍 As for Saleka Night Shyamalan, I really couldn’t have expected her to have such a large role as she does in the end! She’s the singer, and then when she suggests she’ll come over to Riley’s house, it’s like dayyuum – check out the brass balls on Lady Raven! The movie probably doesn’t have the institutional last-minute twist that is most commonplace with a Shyamalan movie, but that limo ride was where my mouth was most agape 😮 And then the opening credits promised me Alison Pill, but… where was she? One simply does not promise Alison Pill and underdeliver. I even considered she might be the FBI director in full old-person make-up at one point, but I would’ve labelled that a very strange choice. But Pill shows up, and I’m glad she gets to be more than just “Mum” and oblivious wife, when she plays her one-on-one scene with Harnett very well in close-up 👍
There’s an old movie from 2007 called Mr. Brooks, staring Kevin Costner, Dane Cook, and Demi Moore, that I’ve only ever seen once, but really liked, that looked to set up a trilogy focusing on an obsessively meticulous serial killer from his perspective; but it got panned and never continued ☹ Trap reminded me of that, obviously flowing down a very similar river stream. That movie, Mr. Brooks, teased a hereditary possibility, where the monster is passed on to the serial killer’s daughter; and I thought for a second that this movie was going to do the same to Riley, hugging her Dad before he gets into the police van, helping him out in some way, as if “we’re both in this together”. I think, rightly, that wasn’t the case, but instead it was the silly po-po allowing Cooper to stand up the pushbike, under the guise of his OCD tendencies, that will be the authorities’ demise 😈 Optimistically, it’s dawned on me that if M. Night Shyamalan insists on keeping making movies, then there’s sure the possibility that one day a new release could come out and blow us away. And wouldn’t that be something? “M. Night Shyamalan back on top of the mountain”, the headlines would read. “A long time between drinks, but the prodigal son redeems himself”. As I trace myself back over his most recent trajectory, I hated Old, I thought Knock at the Cabin was okay, and I like this a little bit more. But I would’ve liked this better under its working title – “Help! A Popstar Caught my Daddy, the Serial Killer” 😄 Ah, here we make jokes.
3.5
P.S. I’m immediately repulsed when I see Shyamalan staring in his own movie. I really hate it; a lot of directors do it, although I see Shyamalan as the posterchild. But at least he hasn’t given himself the sort’ve pseudo-hero role here, like he’s done in the past, and his character’s actions actually provide probably the biggest mistake of the movie. Perhaps I’ll soften my distain next time I see him take a step out in front of the camera. Oh, but then, as the movie plays out, it’s to his daughter that he’s given the most shockingly heroic moments, so now I see how he’s kept the golden sheen, foregoing himself but keeping it in the family. Talented as Saleka may be, Shyamalan just can’t help himself.
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