When M. Night Shyamalan first started directing, he came out strong with The Sixth Sense. Then, after years of lackluster films like Signs, The Happening and The Last Airbender, he finished his Unbreakable trilogy with Split and Glass, and people were hyped again. His latest, Trap, looked pretty good in the previews, so I was hoping this would continue his turn around. Does it, or has he fallen back to delivering more shlock?
Josh Hartnett – known for such wildly different fare as 40 Days and 40 Nights, Black Hawk Down and 30 Days of Night (among others), switches things up for Trap. No matter what film he’s in, he’s usually a likeable guy, and uses that here, even while going full=on villain mode. It’s an oddly perfect fit, since he epitomizes the serial killer stereotype (crazy under the surface, but neighbors always comment “he was so nice”). His performance alters between amiable and psychotic, and he plays both parts equally well. It’s a real standout performance for him.
Unfortunately, he is, sadly, the only one who even seems to be trying in Trap. Everyone else just goes through the emotions, yet viewers never find themselves getting attached at all. Shyamalan’s daughter (obvious nepotism) gets a big role, and even she doesn’t seem that invested. Instead, they all take their cues from Shyamalan himself, whose cameo – while not quite as wooden as viewers have seem from him before – really isn’t anything to write home about.
Of course, with everyone but Hartnett acting so dull and unbelievable, viewers might suspect that their performances are actually what was requested of them in Trap. Maybe Shyamalan is trying to point a finger at society, which makes serial killers into “notorious” people that are remembered by far more folks than a past historical figure (so everyone but Hartnett is just a “sheeple”) . Or maybe it’s about the dark side of humanity within us all (since Hartnett seems to be the only one being honest about himself in the film). Then again, that seems to be giving this too much credit.
Trap starts off extremely well, with viewers gleaning all they need to know from watching the preview. Hartnett is a serial killer who takes his daughter to a concert. Once there, he discovers the FBI have been tipped off he’s going to be there, and while he struggles to find a way out, they are closing in on him. This part (we’ll get to that) is top-notch. Obviously well thought out, the viewer can feel the tension building with each failed attempt by Hartnett, and each near miss. As the concert draws to a close, the viewer will be on the edge of their seat, wondering how it will all turn out.
Sadly, this serial killer hunt within a time frame is thrown out the window when the movie just keeps going. In fact, that part only takes up the first half thereabouts! Who thought this was a good idea? After all that ratcheting tension, the rest of the film bumps back and forth between a decent follow-up – and then just keeps eroding. Despite Hartnett’s performance, the ending is cliché, and by that point the viewer has stopped caring about how Trap will finally end – only that it will.
