At the risk of losing all my credibility as a cinephile, I have to say what is on my mind: I am a fan of M. Night Shyamalan.
I like most of his films! I even like Trap, his latest thriller about a serial killer who escapes the police at a pop concert.
While I can’t defend all of Shyamalan’s work (sorry, “The Happening,” “The Last Airbender” and “After Earth”), I can support the filmmaker on his latest series of modest-budget, high-concept thrillers. Yes, that includes “Old,” about a beach that causes people to age rapidly, and “Trap,” an equally absurd film in which Josh Hartnett plays both a cunning killer AND a super-supportive father.
At this point, a typical Shyamalan script contains a variety of narrative twists that defy logic, although “Trap” reveals its wildest surprise in its opening minutes (and in the film’s marketing): Hartnett plays Cooper, a seemingly mild-mannered father who takes his teenage daughter (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert staged by Lady Raven, with Shyamalan’s real-life daughter, Saleka Night Shyamalan, impersonating the Taylor Swift-like musician. Between songs, Cooper opens his phone to check on the poor soul he’s keeping trapped in his murder basement.
When Cooper notices a heavy police presence at the concert, a friendly arena employee gives him the details: The FBI knows that notorious serial killer “The Butcher” is in attendance, and profiler Dr. Grant (Hayley Mills, yes, THE Hayley Mills from “The Twins”) plans to stop everyone at the event who fits the profile (i.e. mild-mannered middle-aged white guys).
Another typical Shyamalan element is also present in “Trap”: oddly stilted but often humorous dialogue. More than ever, this strange language in “Trap” seems deliberate, and the film builds an entertaining dynamic with Hartnett’s skillful recitation of the verbal nonsense.
The first half of the film is a tense mix of concert film and cat-and-mouse thriller (similar to Brian DePalma’s underrated “Snake Eyes,” which takes place at a boxing match). The FBI and police are portrayed as absolute morons, and the second half of the film sees law enforcement finding even crazier ways NOT to catch Cooper. It’s Hartnett’s performance that makes all the absurdity work. He’s so good at switching between dorky dad and criminal mastermind that you almost wish he’d run away so he can torture the guy in the murder basement.
Shyamalan proves his creative skills in the director’s chair. Say what you will about his script, but Shyamalan is a talented filmmaker. Sharp compositions and precise editing get “Trap” through even the craziest twists and turns.
Look, I get it. Some viewers will focus too much on the logic of Trap and claim it’s a terrible movie, as bad as Old, Knock at the Cabin, Glass, and his other (secretly) good movies of recent years. At least Shyamalan takes risks and makes good-looking, unpredictable movies while the major studios spend $200 million parking their stars in front of a green screen for the latest sequel. His movies are fun as long as you don’t think about them too much.
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Tyler Wilson can be reached at [email protected].
This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Josh Hartnett in a scene from “Trap.”
