Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Lady in the Water) helms this psychological thriller about a serial killer called The Butcher, but even serial killers can have kids, and this one, whose actual name is Cooper (Josh Hartnett), takes his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a stadium concert by pop star Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan), only to discover the concert is a trap designed to catch him. Surrounded by 20,000-plus fans and 300 cops, can he find a way out? (105 min.)
Glen: This one requires a massive suspension of disbelief because the premise is downright preposterous. In what world would law enforcement lure a serial killer to a concert attended by thousands of innocent people and trap him inside with them? It’s idiotic. That said, if you can just go with it, Trap is a fun little ride as we watch Cooper—a calculating and clever monster—navigate through a phalanx of police led by FBI profiler Dr. Josphine Grant (Hayley Mills). The script manages to tie up a few other contrivances along the way, but it never manages to overcome its central implausibility. Still, it arrives at some unexpected places and ramps up the tension along the way. Hartnett delivers a very creepy performance as Cooper, a man with the appearance of normality who can effortlessly separate his family life from his murderous life … until he can’t. That, too, may strain credulity, but remember the BTK killer? The churchgoing family man was a pillar of his community who tortured and murdered between 10 and 12 victims. People like Cooper are out there.
Anna: Cooper is an interesting character. While all appearances indicate he’s an adoring dad whose joy in life seems to be making Riley happy, we quickly realize that he’s got a dirty little secret on his phone in the form of a camera that shows his current victim locked up in an unknown location. He’s got a knack with people, and when he suspects something is up with all the security at the concert, he talks merch vendor Jamie (Jonathan Langdon) into fessing up on the FBI’s plot. He also sweet talks a few other key bits of info from people throughout the movie, and it’s easy to see why people trust Cooper. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to a film where we were stuck in a concert that seems like a clear grab at showcasing Shyamalan’s daughter’s music, but Saleka Shyamalan has chops—both singing and acting, and the film did a nice job of featuring her music while telling Cooper’s story. I definitely had to suspend a whole lot of disbelief, but once I got OK with the premise being absolutely out there, I had some fun with this one—and in the end I even had some questions answered that I didn’t expect would be resolved.
Glen: I was pleasantly surprised that casting Saleka wasn’t crass nepotism. I was also surprised to find her so deeply part of the plot. I figured she’d just be singing songs, but in the third act she became a major player. We also eventually meet the rest of Cooper’s family, wife Rachel (Alison Pill) and son Logan (Lochlan Miller). As usual, the director shows up in a cameo. If you watch, stay for the credits. Jamie the merch seller makes a very funny return. I think M. Night is well aware that the story is ridiculous, and this little end-credits wink is his way of saying, “I know it’s dumb, but you had fun, right?”
Anna: It’s fun to watch Cooper calculate, and it’s fun to watch those around him attempt to take him down. It’s not one you can think about too closely without rolling your eyes, but it keeps you hooked from start to finish.
New Times Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Sun Screen. Comment at [email protected].
