In Trap, Cooper Adams and his daughter Riley have tickets to a Lady Raven concert. Lady Raven is one of the hottest artists around, with a legion of fans, and Riley is very excited.
Cooper is equally keen for his daughter to have a good time. Riley has recently been experiencing problems within her friend circle, Cooper wants something to help take her mind off her troubles, and he believes this gig is the answer – and to begin with, it is!
But midway through the concert, Cooper takes Riley to the merch stand to pick up a Lady Raven T-shirt, where he learns something troubling: This isn’t an ordinary concert and it is being monitored by the authorities. A serial killer is on the loose, and there is a distinct possibility the killer is in the building.
Cooper has noticed an increased police presence and becomes very concerned about what is about to unfold. His main focus now is to get himself and Riley out of the arena as soon as he can, but this may prove tricky.
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap is a mystery thriller starring Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, and Hayley Mills. The movie is new to UK and US cinemas, and is an intriguing picture with a sinister edge.
Most M. Night Shyamalan movies have a dark side, but this one is particularly gloomy. There is something creepy permeating Trap, and if you’re a fan of this particular filmmaker and his darker movies then you should definitely check out this picture.
Trap is also put together rather well, with excellent staging and a knock-out performance from Josh Hartnett. All of this is worth the ticket price alone, and it’s fair to say there is enough going on in the film to keep you invested at all times.
Warner Bros. Pictures (the studio behind this movie) are currently promoting Trap as an ‘M. Night Shyamalan experience’ and I believe this hyperbolic billing is pretty much on the money. Shyamalan films do often feel like events, and when it comes to Trap this movie certainly offers something which other movies aren’t serving up right now.
As with past Shyamalan pictures, Trap may not push everyone’s buttons, but those who are sometimes turned off by his films should give this one a go. Trap is gripping stuff, there are aspects of the film which border on horror, and if you like movies with a psychological element, you are well served here.
There are also moments in Trap which are incredibly suspenseful. No spoilers here, but things get very tense during a bathroom scene toward the end of the picture, and there are some equally thrilling sequences dotted throughout the film.
Shyamalan knows how to keep his audience hooked, and Trap is a strong example of this. The writer/director dangles just enough story and character development to keep things interesting, without over-egging the pudding, and few will walk away feeling disappointed.
Trap also benefits from the aforementioned performance from Josh Hartnett – which I’d wager is one of his best. Once again, I am mindful of spoilers, so I shall hold back on revealing too much, but in a few choice words it is mesmerising, ominous, and beguiling.
Shyamalan always serves up a great lead in his films (Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense, James McAvoy in Split, etc), but with Hartnett he has possibly hit the jackpot. The actor is barely off the screen throughout the entire movie, and he nails every scene.
The journey his character goes on from start to finish is wild. And yet Hartnett sells the heck out of it all, and really shows his range as an actor.
Earlier today I posted a review for Borderlands (which is also on release alongside Trap), and I criticised the film for being uninspiring. Audiences deserve something with a bit of imagination, and Borderlands simply doesn’t have it.
Trap is the exact opposite and is a perfect example of a movie which does have some imagination. It proves there are still plenty of good stories left to tell, and so long as Hollywood can keep audiences hooked, no one should be worrying about what the future holds.
Looking for something thrilling this summer? Then be sure to check out Trap.
__
__
Thank you for taking the time to read this review on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment