M. Night Shyamalan continues to demonstrate his prowess as a provocative filmmaker, one teeming with inventive and audacious concepts that occasionally falter in their execution. His latest endeavor, the serial-killer-trapped-at-a-pop-concert thriller Trap, pursues a more frenetic and elevated pace than we’re accustomed to from the director. For nearly two-thirds of its runtime, it is indeed an exhilarating journey. However, the chase after the elusive murderer known as The Butcher ultimately devolves into a chaotic and unsatisfying conclusion.
In this high-concept film, Josh Hartnett stars as Cooper Adams, a firefighter who takes his teenage daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue), to see her favorite singer, Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan). Unbeknownst to Riley, Cooper is actually The Butcher, and the concert is a covert operation by the police to catch the notorious serial killer. The tension is palpable as Cooper scrambles to evade capture, making for an audacious and wonderfully goofy premise. Shyamalan embraces this playfulness, a rare departure from his typically serious storytelling. Watching Cooper finesse his way through the venue, smooth-talking strangers and deftly acquiring key cards and walkie-talkies, is thoroughly enjoyable.
Hartnett excels in this role, seizing the chance to subvert expectations. As a loving yet goofy dad, Cooper expertly conceals his sinister, cunning nature. The film is most effective when Cooper juggles these dual aspects of his personality, maintaining Riley’s happiness while constantly seeking an escape route. Hartnett skillfully embodies a man whose meticulously crafted facade teeters on the brink of collapse, delivering a performance that deftly balances manic determination with a touch of dark humor.
Shyamalan’s tendency for awkward, mannered dialogue lingers, though it’s less pronounced than in some of his earlier works. The overly earnest and helpful demeanor Cooper adopts as part of his charade helps mitigate this issue, adding a wink to otherwise cringe-worthy exchanges. Yet, there are still several notably silly scenes, such as those involving a very friendly merch-booth guy (Jonathan Langdon) who can’t seem to stop divulging crucial secrets to Cooper. The film also leans heavily on convenience and coincidence, as Cooper repeatedly overhears vital information from an FBI profiler that should have been discussed well before the concert.
Despite these flaws, Trap remains quite enjoyable for its first two-thirds. Unfortunately, Shyamalan stumbles in delivering a satisfying conclusion. The final act feels like a jumble of three or four different endings, each vying for prominence and creating a disjointed mess. The film repeatedly builds to what seems to be its climactic sequence, only to pivot to another, equally confusing finale. This erratic approach undermines the narrative, shifting focus to characters we barely know at the expense of those we’re invested in, like Cooper and Riley. The introduction of sudden, bewildering twists in character interactions further muddles the conclusion.
Overall, Shyamalan appears to be having a rare bit of fun, and it’s a great showcase for Josh Hartnett, who excels as a serial killer evading police at a packed concert. Unfortunately, the film derails in its final act, with Shyamalan piling on one implausible ending after another. The result is a convoluted conclusion that fails to determine which character should ultimately face off with Hartnett’s Cooper.
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