M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap is about to spring. Shyamalan is a curious beast of a filmmaker. His movies are always known for some kind of twist, however in my opinion this then renders them pointless for a second viewing as once you know the twist, the one trick pony behind the scenes is exposed.
Why sit through The Sixth Sense if you already know who is dead?
You could also argue he has had more misses that hits. That said, Trap looked to be on a bigger scale than anything he had done before, and closer to action thriller than the more psychological fare he usually creates. So what do the critics make of it?
It is fair to say they are mixed. 52% at Rotten Tomatoes with critics, but interestingly 67% with audiences, and a Metacritic score of 61.
Josh Hartnett stars as a father who takes his teen daughter to a pop concert which turns into a sinister event when it is revealed to be a trap for a serial killer. The police know the killer will be at the concert, but do no know the identity of the killer.
I think we all know the twist already, but we won’t mention it here for those raw-dogging this movie. Here’s what the reviewers say:
“The simple premise merely sets the stage for an engaging and highly entertaining thriller that keeps the surprises coming.”
Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
“We keep wanting Shyamalan to somehow give us The Sixth Sense or Signs again. Trap is not either of those. This is a popcorn movie, with a surprising turn from an underrated star. And ultimately, it’s a pretty fun time at the theater.”
Lindsey Bahr, AP
“Trap is entertaining and surprising but lacks a certain level of fun that would’ve raised it to another level…It’s not on the level of [Shyamalan’s] best…but if you’re a fan, or curious about the premise, you’ll enjoy Trap much more than you won’t”
Germain Lussier, io9
“It’s perhaps his best-engineered work since The Village and arguably the purest piece of entertainment he’s ever made.”
Nick Newman, The Film Stage
“Josh Hartnett almost makes Trap worth seeing, imbuing his character with a playfulness that can be captivating. It’s just a shame his great work sometimes feels trapped in a movie that doesn’t know what to do with it.”
Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
“Subverting the genre with an audacious, unexpected structure, M Night. Shyamalan’s “Trap” takes a tonal turn, and evolves into something much darker and more disturbing.”
Rodrigo Perez, The Playlist
“Asking an audience to go with something that is this fundamentally farfetched borders on an insult. More to the point: It’s not fun.”
Owen Gleiberman, Variety
Trap wasn’t screened for critics, ostensibly to keep the twists and turns secret.