Trap movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Trap

This cat-and-mouse thriller is now playing in theaters, as well as on Fandango at Home

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 45 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: C+

IN A NUTSHELL:

I love many of M. Night Shyamalan’s movies, but some are definitely better than others. He finances his own films, so he was able to continue filming during the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The story is about a father and his teenager daughter who attend a pop concert only to realize they’ve entered the center of a dark and sinister event. The story is based very loosely on a real-life police operation from the 1980s.

DON’T watch the trailer so that you’ll be surprised.

THINGS I LIKED:

Josh Hartnett gives a good performance as the conflicted dad. I would love to have seen even more subtle layers on his face like James McAvoy did in Split.
The rest of the cast also did a good job in their roles and includes Ariel Donoghue, Alison Pill, and the legendary, Academy Award winner Hayley Mills.
I love it when M. Night Shyamalan has a cameo in each of his movies.
We get to hear some good music and see a “crispy” concert that looks like something straight out of Taylor Swift or Lady Gaga.
Fun fact: He produced films that his two daughters were involved with, including this one and The Watchers, which was directed by Ishana Shyamalan.
This movie is his daughter Saleka’s debut. She plays the pop star and is lovely. She’s a musician in real life and wrote 14 of the original songs for the movie. She even opened for Boyz II Men once. What a talented family!
There’s a twist, but if you’ve seen the trailer, you won’t be surprised. The more fun twist would have been to switch who the real killer was at the last minute.
One thing M. Night Shyamalan is good at is the use of creative and interesting camera angles.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The trailer was really good but gave away the secret of the big reveal. Thankfully, there is a small twist at the end.
Some of the father/daughter conversations were odd.
There should have been way more frightened looks and tears in Act 3. Everyone seemed to underact, despite the tension.
There are some serious, unrealistic plot holes.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

We see men peeing in a men’s restroom.
People are in dangerous situations.
People use firearms and knives
Someone gets tased with a stun gun

THEMES:

Forgiveness
Family
Criminal profiler
Serial Killers
Anger
Celebrity
Parenting
Choices and consequences

FUNNY LINES:

None. It’s a serious drama.

INTERESTING LINES:

“I release you.” –Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan)
‘You can choose to be good.” – Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan)
“A lot of places that had fire-code violations stayed vacant for years. Wasted space, I always thought.” – Cooper (Josh Hartnett)’
“I get the urge when I see someone who thinks they’re whole. It’s not true. Everyone is in pieces.” – killer
“There’s almost no darkness in it at all.” – killer
“Not all of you is a monster.” – killer’s mother