Film Review: ‘Trap’ Sees M. Night Shyamalan and Josh Hartnett Making B-Movie Magic Together

The rise and fall and rise again of writer/director M. Night Shyamalan is the kind of circular success story that could only come out of Hollywood. Following the sensation that was The Sixth Sense, many in and around the industry were quick to label him as the heir-apparent to Steven Spielberg and Alfred Hitchcock, which upon reflection is probably a stupid amount of pressure to put on any young filmmaker, no matter how good his ghost story is. Shyamalan bravely attempted to replicate his first mega-hit with a string of films that all have their fans, but never quite tapped into the cultural zeitgeist in the same way.

Following the critical drubbing of more personal works like The Village and especially Lady in the Water, the former wunderkind had quickly and mercilessly become a pariah, with mocking laughter becoming a frequent occurrence anytime moviegoers would see his name pop up in a trailer. The elaborate plots, the uncanny dialogue, the overreliance on big twists: it wasn’t long before the very traits that made Shyamalan an overnight success were weaponized against him. This led to an especially dark period of what can charitably be called for-hire work, marked by the likes of After Earth and The Last Airbender.

For some, the story ended here, with any new efforts being dismissed as part of an extended epilogue in the narrative of his career. But for those paying attention, this is when things got really interesting. Shyamalan went back to basics, self-funding a found-footage chiller called The Visit. The stripped-down aesthetics and focus on pure scares resonated with enough audiences to turn it into the filmmaker’s first proper hit in years, and this was just the beginning. 

Solidified with the one-two punch of Split and Glass (which were perhaps more commercial wins than critical, but wins nonetheless), the man who had seen Hollywood’s highest highs and lowest lows found his happy place somewhere in between: in the pulpy thrills of the B-movie. His next two films, Old and Knock at the Cabin, followed a very similar template of bringing high-concept scenarios to life with minimal characters and usually a single key location, with the film’s events often lasting no more than a single day in order to wring out the maximum amount of suspense. 

Combined with a degree of creative control that he’s able to afford by mostly financing the films himself, and suddenly Shyamalan has found himself in perhaps the most artistically rewarding period of his career. Tighter budgets and narrower focus have only made him a stronger filmmaker, and has allowed him to explore his pet theme of parenthood in the face of impossible odds, within the confines of genre films that allowed him to express those anxieties in ways both abstract (see Knock at the Cabin) and very on-the-nose (see Old). In this era, the twists have gotten more manageable, the plots have become more streamlined, and the dialogue that once seemed so stilted and unnatural now feels like a feature rather than a bug (not unlike the oft-derided but largely harmless cameos he gives himself in most films).

All of this leads us nicely to Trap, his latest thriller that very much feels like a continuation of this trend. It features a high-concept setup mostly based around a single location (a notorious serial killer takes his daughter to a concert, only to discover that the whole venue is a trap to catch him), gives us a handful of distinctive characters, and sets them loose, tightening the screws and upping the tension at every possible opportunity. The result is perhaps Shyamalan’s most purely entertaining film to date, with a potent mix of intentionally awkward humor, stylish visuals (courtesy of Challengers DP Sayombhu Mukdeeproom), and just enough family drama to give it a beating heart under the surface. Tastes will vary in terms of whether it’s among his best films, but the argument can certainly be made that it’s one of his most fun.

The secret ingredient holding all of this together is Josh Hartnett, a popular leading man in the 2000s who took some time away from Hollywood to raise his family (though between this and last year’s Oppenheimer, he’s certainly enjoying a bit of a comeback at present). Whatever your expectations of Hartnett might be based on his previous work, all bets are off here. He showed up to his first collaboration with Shyamalan ready to play, and in doing so crafts a character of startling and compelling contrasts. 

Cooper is a firefighter who also chops people up in his spare time, earning the nickname of The Butcher. But he’s also a family man, and from the very start it’s clear that this isn’t some obligation on his part in order to better fit in with society. This is a man who, whatever his faults, genuinely loves and cares about his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue). He takes her to see her favorite pop star as a reward for good grades, and even though he’s clearly not into the music himself, the sheer joy that she experiences clearly means the world to him. Whatever happens, he wants this to be a great night for her, and the fact that he never loses this secondary motivation even when the walls start to close in is part of what makes it so easy to root for Cooper, despite his murderous tendencies.

As soon as they reach the sizable venue where Lady Raven is to perform (played by M. Night’s daughter, singer/songwriter Saleka Night Shyamalan), Cooper immediately twigs that something is out of the ordinary. There’s an excessive amount of police present, all the entrances are guarded, and there’s additional surveillance on every corner. He’s eventually able to charm one of the merch vendors (Jonathan Langdon, very funny) into letting slip that this is actually a massive sting operation, with the sole intention of capturing him. They don’t know what he looks like, but they know he’s here, which means no men fitting the potential description will be allowed to leave without interrogation.

Much of the film’s runtime is devoted to Cooper assessing his situation, exploring the venue, creating distractions, and learning what he can about how to evade his adversaries. The operation is being led by an FBI profiler (The Parent Trap star Hayley Mills, I see what you did there) who has more than enough insight to keep Cooper on his toes, often predicting what he might do just as he’s about to do it. The constant need to improvise, to sneak around undetected, and to make the most of his surroundings give the film plenty of suspense. Not only are there potential hostiles actively hunting for him, but because he’s ostensibly there with his daughter, he also can’t be too far away from her for too long. This creates additional miniature ticking clocks within the larger piece, as he has to make the most out of every excuse to run to the bathroom or pretending to forget his credit card before rushing back to minimize suspicion.

Without giving away anything not in the trailers, suffice to say that Trap takes some narrative deviations in its third act that will likely prove polarizing for viewers. The ever-increasing tension is still present, and the increasingly deranged nature of Hartnett’s performance remains captivating, but anyone hoping for airtight plotting devoid of logical gaps may find frustration in some of these later scenes. That said, if you’ve been enjoying yourself thus far, there shouldn’t be anything in this section that would constitute a dealbreaker for the film as a whole. Though there isn’t a big twist ending in the way that some might expect, there is a satisfying late-game reveal about how the feds knew to target the concert, and the last few moments definitely stick the landing.

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise of this portion of the film is the increased prominence of Lady Raven, who goes from being a set piece to a somewhat fleshed out character. Given the undeniable nepotism in her casting, this shift could have been potentially disastrous if the director’s daughter didn’t find herself up to the task. But not only is Saleka Shyamalan a demonstrably talented musician (her songs are all very catchy and credibly performed), but she acquits herself admirably as an actress, giving Lady Raven a conscience and an unexpected resourcefulness. And though she only has a few scenes, the always-welcome Alison Pill makes a strong impression as Cooper’s wife.

But really, this is Hartnett’s time to shine, and he makes a meal out of every chance to showcase Cooper’s internal conflict. His goofy, try-hard dad jokes land just as authentically as his unhinged death threats. As with James McAvoy in Split and Dave Bautista in Knock at the Cabin, Shyamalan has crafted a star vehicle that gives his leading man the ability to showcase a side of themselves that audiences have never seen before, and as with the two previous cases the result is a revelation. 

The fact that the rest of the film is so consistently funny, thrilling, and ever-so-slightly bonkers make this an easy recommendation for anyone who can appreciate how M. Night has grown and evolved as an artist. Though on the outside it may seem like his films have gotten simpler and sillier, what they’ve actually become is a far stronger reflection of his gifts as a storyteller. Family stories in the context of horrifying scenarios, with a focus on keeping things as entertaining as possible. In this regard, Trap is among the most successful films in his entire career, and is well worth experiencing in the cinema.

SCORE: ★★★1/2