Entering a theater to see a new M. Night Shyamalan film has a somewhat nostalgic feel. The posters are glowing. The idea sounds absurd, yet it has the potential to be brilliant. The question of whether this will be The Happening Night or The Sixth Sense Night never goes away.
Trap shows up with one of his naughtiest hooks to date. When a loving father brings his teenage daughter to a pop concert, he learns that it’s actually a huge sting operation to apprehend a renowned serial killer. The twist? The father is the murderer. Josh Hartnett’s character Cooper attempts to preserve the façade of suburban normalcy throughout the movie by avoiding security checkpoints, FBI profiling techniques, and increasingly ridiculous coincidences.
| Film Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Trap (2024) |
| Director | M. Night Shyamalan |
| Lead Actor | Josh Hartnett |
| Supporting Cast | Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donoghue, Alison Pill, Hayley Mills |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Genre | Mystery / Thriller |
| Runtime | 1h 45m |
| U.S. Box Office | $42.7M |
| Rotten Tomatoes Score | 56% (Critics) |
| Authentic Reference | https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/trap_2024 |
It looks like a tasty setup on paper. There is real tension as the first act plays inside the packed arena, with bright stage lights piercing the night, bass rattling seats, and teenagers yelling lyrics into their phones. As Hartnett looks at exits and computes angles, the camera lingers on his face. With each scene, the promise of cat-and-mouse suspense tightens, and it’s difficult to avoid that classic Shyamalan tingle.
Then, though, something changes.
The film starts bending reasoning in ways that seem less lighthearted and more reckless. With unlikely ease, Cooper evades armed officers. Discussions that ought to degenerate into mayhem just don’t. It’s still unclear at times if Shyamalan is asking the audience to accept everything or is just winking at them. It seems as though the movie thinks it’s incredibly clever. Instead of feigning to function in a grounded reality, it might have performed better if it had leaned more into the absurdity.
However, it seems too simple to brush Trap aside completely. Hartnett gives a surprisingly captivating performance that alternates between being silly, menacing, and almost pitiful. He portrays Cooper as a control-hungry man who nods enthusiastically and smiles too broadly at other parents. The most interesting aspect of the movie is undoubtedly watching him vacillate between being a loving father and a cunning predator. It’s difficult to ignore Hartnett’s weight in this situation. The whole thing could fall apart without him.
Then comes the actual concert, which is hosted by Saleka Shyamalan as Lady Raven, a fictional pop star. Full musical performances—pulsing red lights, synchronized motion backup dancers, and lyrics soaring over nervous crowd noise—take up a significant amount of the movie’s screen time. This is perceived by some viewers as blatant self-promotion. Some perceive it as an experiment with tone. The truth most likely lies awkwardly in the middle.
Halfway through, the movie momentarily locks into something sharper. Cooper becomes aware that he is being profiled and uses his charm and quick wit to subtly influence strangers, including security guards, vendors, and even other parents. The tension is effective for a while. The audience is practically holding its breath. As you watch this play out, you get the impression that Shyamalan still gets suspense, despite the fact that he occasionally indulgently undermines it.
It makes sense that critics have differing opinions. Rotten Tomatoes gives the movie a 56% rating, which puts it in that awkward middle ground between success and failure. According to some reviews, it’s amusing but silly. Some contend that the plot holes are just too significant to overlook. It remains to be seen if Trap will be rewarded by time or dismissed as just another odd blunder in a career that is infamously erratic.
I’m not particularly interested in whether Trap “works” in the conventional sense. It’s the boldness. In an age of CGI bombast and franchise sprawl, Shyamalan continues to produce unique, mid-budget thrillers with real actors in constrained spaces and high-concept ideas. These days, investors appear wary of these kinds of movies. And audiences. And yet, here it is—a strange, intimate, and somewhat embarrassing gamble that is being shown on multiplex screens.
Chaos breaks out in the third act. It’s easier to escape. Reversals appear hurried. Reason falters. Some viewers chuckle. Others moan. Surprisingly, some cheer. It is the type of conclusion that causes people to argue in parking lots later, reliving scenes in shock. Perhaps that is a feature of the design.
If Trap were simply awful, it would be easier. It isn’t. Additionally, it’s not the victorious return that some had hoped for. Rather, it’s a messier thriller that veers between self-satire and tension, between authentic craftsmanship and decadent diversion.
And perhaps that’s the most accurate way to characterize Shyamalan right now. Not always outstanding. Not completely lost. Still swinging, though.
As you watch this play out, you get the impression that he is aware of how controversial this movie will be and maybe even relishes that. Depending on how much silliness you can stand in your suspense, Trap may be a clever thriller, a vanity project, or a near-miss.
You won’t forget it, though, that much is certain. And that makes a difference in the crowded release schedule of today.
