Trap

"Trap" (2024) generated great expectations since the release of its trailer, which presented a relatively new and thought-provoking premise, in addition to being directed by M. Night Shyamalan. However, despite the initial potential, several wrong decisions compromised the final result of the work.

The absence of graphic violence reduces the impact of the film, generating few scenes of true tension. The script relies on several conveniences, making the protagonist seem more "lucky" than strategist. Furthermore, the superficial development of the serial killer makes his arc not very engaging, which negatively affects the construction of the character. The twist in the third act is not surprising and seems unnecessary, wasting the opportunity for a remarkable outcome, something expected in the director's films. On the other hand, the soundtrack and its theme is a strong point, differentiating itself from other productions of the genre and adding value to the narrative.

Although technically well produced, the film has flaws that undermine the impact of the proposal. "Trap" ends up becoming another generic psychological horror film, despite its interesting musical theme.

Quite the nosedive!

I actually enjoyed the opening chunk of 'Trap', everything at the music concert is fairly well done and kept the intrigue alive for me. However, once events leave the arena the movie absolutely bombs its way to the finish. The last portion of the film is terrible viewing, it felt like it just kept going and going and going.

There are plot holes aplenty, nonsensical 'twists' and character decisions/abilities. Cooper, played finely to be fair by Josh Hartnett, is absolutely some sort of big shot in his 'line of work', though makes some dumb mistakes. Though he is apparently capable of teleportation, based on one scene involving a limo.

I'm not someone who needs every inch of a movie to make sense, I can enjoy something that's simply an entertaining watch; even with poorly crafted elements elsewhere in the movie. This, unfortunately, ends up being just bad. That is a shame, because I honestly did like (albeit mildly) the stuff at the venue.

Very surprised to see the fairly good reception this has received so far on a few sites, I would not have predicted that but, hey, what do I know?

I thought that the setting of the movie was interesting, and it had some exciting moments. One of the bigger side roles is played by the directors niece I belive. She had so much screen time and those parts were mostly not great. She is a great singer, but the acting needs improvement.

The cast is otherwise great, I just hope other side characters would have gotten more screen time.

Ofcourse the movie included alot of fun and interesting twists, but it leaves you wanting something more.

The movie could have been alot better without a clear try to launch a relatives career. Overall medium interesting watch.

Remember - trailers are a separate work of art. We're being sold something that makes money, not something we'll end up seeing in the movie. Trap is a perfect example of this case. Presented as a suspenseful thriller about a game of cat and mouse, the movie turns out to be a completely featureless attempt to play on the audience's expectations. There is no intrigue, no suspense, for everything is read ahead. You are waiting to be surprised. Waiting, and waiting ... and waiting. Nothing happens. Everyone is moving, song keep coming, and yet ... no impact at all, no stakes, no WOW moments.

You just can't believe how dull the story is, which is holded solely on Josh's charisma. He is an extremely good in this movie, some of the acting choices are brilliant. Without him, it would be impossible to watch this nonsense. In the end, all the action leads nowhere - the finale is devoid of conclusions, twists or drama. There is literally no ending! It's as if the entire hour and a half went nowhere. One of the major disappointments of the year.

I get it. Someone will disagree with my take. But trust me, I wanted to be excited. Was waiting for this movie with some excitement, went to see it Opening Night. Extremely disappointed. Oh, one more thing - STOP portraying special forces like they are some incompetent children with no logic. Sometimes they do make mistakes, but Jesus, they are super dumb in first half of the movie, it's almost pure comedy.

A watchable movie, but the director ventures into too many different directions. The third act feels very disconnected from the rest of the film, culminating in a never-ending finale with bland characters that are poorly developed.

The story veered into many different directions, making it feel unfocused. I did not enjoy the poor acting, except for Josh Harriett, who was the only good part of the movie.

The third act was particularly undetermined and disjointed. Surprisingly, the best part of the movie was during the film credits.

Even Josh Harnett's performance, the sole highlight, couldn't save the film from its shortcomings.