I’m surprised how writer-director M. Night Shyamalan has bounced back yet again from duds like “The Happening” in 2008 and “After Earth” in 2013. He comes back full force with “Trap,” a commendable horror-thriller.
Usually, I have my staff cover horror flicks, but this one was too intriguing to skip. Josh Hartnett (“Oppenheimer”, who usually plays a hero, portrays Cooper, a father taking his daughter Riley to a pop concert in the Taylor Swift vein. Part of the storyline involves his daughter getting back together with her disgruntled friend after a falling out. Cooper tries to mediate between the teens.
Part of the movie’s twist is Cooper’s interaction with a concert vendor, who hints that something very strange is afoot at the concert. The diva on stage, Lady Raven, played by Shyamalan’s daughter Saleka Night Shyamalan, is key to the plot as events unfold.
“Trap” is more of a psychological thriller than a horror flick. Don’t look for blood and guts in this one, it’s more mental. The acting is fine. Everyone turns in decent performances.
It’s weird how Hartnett’s career has gone on a rollercoaster ride. He was a flavor of the month early in his career with films like “The Faculty” (1998) and “The Virgin Suicides” (1999). Then he sort of disappeared and now he’s back stronger than ever. Part of that is because he’s usually likeable on screen.
As for writer-director Shyamalan. He knows where he stands in Hollywood now. He’s no longer resorting to idiotic notions, absurd twists and gimmicks. Shyamalan dazzled early in his career with “The Sixth Sense” (1999), “Signs” (2002) and the trilogy of “Unbreakable,” “Split” and “Glass” from 2000 to 2019.
Shyamalan fell into mediocrity with “Lady in the Water” (2006) and “The Happening” (2008), which featured one of Mark Wahlberg’s most forgettable performances. “Trap,” on the other hand, is a decent suspense-thriller. It’s a straightforward thriller that pays off to the end.
Grade: B-
