Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Husband and father of the year Cooper (Josh Hartnett), takes his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to see her favourite pop star Lady Raven (Saleka). However, when Cooper arrives at the arena, amongst the hyper teens and super fans, he slowly notices an increased amount of security and is instantly on high alert. And for good reason. The authorities are on the hunt for the prolific serial killer, The Butcher who they believe is attending the concert.

With his two identities hanging in the balance, Cooper aka The Butcher tries to spring the FBI’s trap before it’s too late.

The idea of the trap itself is what draws you into Trap (2024), which is built on an elaborate staging for a cat-and-mouse game of seek and hide. For a while, as we watch Cooper outfox the feds and weasel his way in and out of tense situations, you are gripped. However, the novelty quickly wears off, and you start to wonder how this seemingly average man is truly able to outsmart FBI profiler Dr Josephine Grant (Hayley Mills).

Despite Cooper’s growing need to escape and the implied brutality of his work as The Butcher, Trap has a sensitive side as we get to know Cooper. To the audience, Cooper is a devoted father. He takes his daughter Riley to see Lady Raven because of her excellent grades, he is supportive as she talks about problems with her friends, and Riley, in turn, is thrilled to share this day with her dad.

M. Night Shyamalan does a great job making it difficult for the audience to reconcile the “Father of the Year” with the “Killer of the Decade.”

Conceptually Trap has a great hook, but it’s poorly sustained and as a result, the film struggles in its final act. Don’t get me wrong, it’s completely engrossing as the audience watches as the odds continue to stack against Cooper, and we get a flicker of The Butcher who slowly comes out to play. However, it felt out of sorts, with the rest of the film, like a rebellious child fighting to be different.

“Theatre of the mind” plays a big part in Trap. Similar to Joe Berlingers, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) because it doesn’t ever veer too deeply into The Butcher’s dastardly deeds. Instead, it relies on the fear, awe, and speculation surrounding his actions. To the audience, Cooper is just a man – albeit a little unhinged – he is good-looking, tall and a great father so we overlook the darkness within.

This feels like the heart of Trap, the idea that a man like Cooper could be someone you know and trust.

While Trap is an enjoyable film, it lacks depth. The movie hints at Cooper’s strained relationship with his mother and briefly touches on Dr. Grant’s potential as a worthy adversary, but these elements are not fully explored.

Additionally a few of the tricks Cooper pulls and the environments he easily infiltrates feel contrived. Perhaps, alongside his general likability, this is part of a wider commentary on being a tall and handsome white man. The type of person who can blend in, in the middle of a man-hunt designed for your capture.

But that’s a conversation for another day.

Overall Trap is a solid thriller. You quickly become invested in the lives of Cooper and Riley, and the director’s decision to shield us from The Butcher’s true nature means that you root for Cooper to escape, despite knowing he deserves to be caught. While Trap doesn’t revolutionise the genre or scratch beneath the surface of its principal character, it is an appealing addition to M. Night Shyamalan’s directorial catalogue.