Trap (2024)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Cooper (Josh Hartnett) takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert headlined by Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan), a popular pop singer. Unbeknownst to Riley, his wife, Rachel (Alison Pill), and his son, Logan (Lochlan Miller), Cooper lives a secret double life as The Butcher, a smart and calculating serial killer.

Cooper runs into an unexpected dilemma, when a merchandise stand worker named Jamie (Jonathan Langdon) reveals the concert is actually an elaborate trap designed to catch The Butcher. With Lady Raven’s help and guidance from FBI profiler Dr. Josephine Grant (Hayley Mills), the seemingly air tight trap complicates Cooper’s plans to escape.

Cooper devises a series of schemes and distractions, but the walls are closing in. Lady Raven has a chance to save Spencer (Mark Bacolcol), The Butcher’s latest victim, but Cooper comes up with a plan to escape with Riley….

My Thoughts- He’s a husband, a father, a firefighter, and a serial killer! Cooper is a man of many faces. Josh Hartnett delivers an amazing performance, playing a dangerous chameleon, who’s capable of switching personalities at the right time to fit whatever the situation calls for. Cooper is a devious and persistent tactician, who won’t be denied. The details and the little nuances for Cooper really pulls everything together. Whether it’s calmly cleaning or neatly folding a shirt in highly stressful situations, you can clearly see Cooper is a man with a lot of loose screws.

The narcissism, his massive ego, the constant lies, the phony good guy persona, and the fact that Cooper’s troubling problems are all rooted in serious mommy issues is noticeable. But you can also tell Cooper is a man, who truly loves his family. 

Yes, he’s a cold-hearted egomaniac, who doesn’t hesitate to step on anyone to get what he wants. But Cooper wants to be around for his children. Notice how excited Cooper is, while he’s basically playing the “cool dad” with Riley at the concert. Hartnett does a good job of being convincing as someone, who’s torn between the sadistic lifestyle of a serial killer and a family man, especially towards the end. Cooper wants it all, to have his cake and eat it too, and he becomes furious, when he realizes he’ll probably lose everything.

Saleka Night Shyamalan’s character is carefully crafted for Trap. She’s already a pop star in real life, so it’s not surprising that she’s noticeably comfortable playing Lady Raven, including the performances. It’s a role that suits her, and well, you have to believe she’s just being herself, or a more exaggerated version of herself. 

Lady Raven is a likable character, someone, who’s humble and compassionate. The final stretch gets a little weird, when Lady Raven tries to play mind games with Cooper (specifically that scene in the car). I’m not saying it’s bad acting, but certain parts are kind of awkward, and they do feel a bit forced. 

M. Night Shyamalan completely lost me with the ending. So let me see if I have this right. You pull out all the stops to catch The Butcher. Hordes of cops, tactical teams, and you set a trap for him during a concert. EVERYTHING except for the National Guard and the Navy Seals to stop this guy. And for some reason, when he’s completely surrounded by cops you let him touch a bike, giving him the opportunity to grab a spoke off of the wheel? On top of that, Cooper uses that spoke to unlock his handcuffs, so now there’s a chance to escape? Again?

It’s a bummer for me, because I was completely hooked in for everything leading up to the ending. The tense moments between Cooper and Rachel in the kitchen, the cat and mouse games between Lady Raven and Cooper, including Raven racing against the clock to save Spencer, and knowing Cooper was so close to completely losing it and killing Rachel. And Cooper finally giving in to visions of his deceased mother (Marcia Bennett), after trying so hard to ignore her throughout the movie.

But if you’re going the route of capturing The Butcher, then he should’ve been caught with no shenanigans. It just defies all kinds of logic after all the careful planning, having an expert FBI profiler on the case, and numerous strong walls of security. Why? Because he’s that good? Sorry, I just didn’t buy the whole idea that The Butcher is supposed to be Houdini, when he’s surrounded by a group of armed officers. 

The close calls are tight and there’s a few good nail-biters, while Cooper improvises his possible escape routes. But for me most of it is undone with the ending, because there’s just too much ridiculous BS in the final moments. 

Hartnett is fantastic. There’s no denying that, but it’s a case, where Shyamalan gets a bit too enamored with Cooper/The Butcher. There’s absolutely no reason why what happened should’ve happened during the ending, considering the circumstances, and knowing how dangerous Cooper is and what he’s capable of.

Still, Trap is an entertaining psychological thriller. Good methodical pacing, the concert scenes have a strong sense of realism, and there’s one brutal scene involving a deep fryer. There’s also something genuinely creepy about Cooper explaining why he goes after his victims. The Butcher believes no human being is truly whole, and that mindset plays a big role for him, when he decides to literally cut his victims into pieces. Really the kind of stuff that makes your skin crawl. 

This is The Josh Hartnett Show. Hartnett’s tour de force performance is impressive, but there’s also some noteworthy performances from the supporting cast. Ariel Donoghue playing the exuberant teenage girl, or Alison Pill showing believable emotions for a conflicted Rachel, because she still wants to believe Cooper is a good person. Also, Hayley Mills is appropriately cast as the wise old veteran character, who’s smart  and knows how to keep her composure. 

There’s also some good humor here. Jonathan Langdon has his moments (I genuinely laughed at Jamie’s reaction during the mid-credits scene, when he finds out Cooper is The Butcher.) as the upbeat and enthusiastic vendor. Kid Cudi is good for a few laughs as Thinker, an egotistical diva with a bad attitude. Marine McPhail-Diamond is hilarious as Jody’s (Riley’s ex-friend) mother, the sort of unhinged Pollyanna, with a “dark side.” 

And of course it wouldn’t be an M. Night Shyamalan without a cameo from the man himself! As usual, I don’t mind Shyamalan’s cameos. It’s a brief appearance, and his character (he plays Lady Raven’s uncle) moves the story forward without unnecessarily taking anything away from the developments during the home stretch. 

The story of the firefighter living in the suburbs, moonlighting as an infamous serial killer was loaded with potential. I had high hopes for Trap, but it’s not a complete misfire. Shyamalan’s still capable of delivering wild and thought-provoking stories, and Trap proves he doesn’t need to rely on a big shocking twist. I was waiting for the swerve, because it’s Shyamalan, but I’m glad he decided to go with a more straightforward style of storytelling.

Rating- 6/10

Trap (2024)(Minor Spoilers)

  

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Cooper (Josh Hartnett) takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert headlined by Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan), a popular pop singer. Unbeknownst to Riley, his wife, Rachel (Alison Pill), and his son, Logan (Lochlan Miller), Cooper lives a secret double life as The Butcher, a smart and calculating serial killer.

Cooper runs into an unexpected dilemma, when a merchandise stand worker named Jamie (Jonathan Langdon) reveals the concert is actually an elaborate trap designed to catch The Butcher. With Lady Raven’s help and guidance from FBI profiler Dr. Josephine Grant (Hayley Mills), the seemingly air tight trap complicates Cooper’s plans to escape.

Cooper devises a series of schemes and distractions, but the walls are closing in. Lady Raven has a chance to save Spencer (Mark Bacolcol), The Butcher’s latest victim, but Cooper comes up with a plan to escape with Riley….

My Thoughts- He’s a husband, a father, a firefighter, and a serial killer! Cooper is a man of many faces. Josh Hartnett delivers an amazing performance, playing a dangerous chameleon, who’s capable of switching personalities at the right time to fit whatever the situation calls for. Cooper is a devious and persistent tactician, who won’t be denied. The details and the little nuances for Cooper really pulls everything together. Whether it’s calmly cleaning or neatly folding a shirt in highly stressful situations, you can clearly see Cooper is a man with a lot of loose screws.

The narcissism, his massive ego, the constant lies, the phony good guy persona, and the fact that Cooper’s troubling problems are all rooted in serious mommy issues is noticeable. But you can also tell Cooper is a man, who truly loves his family.  

Yes, he’s a cold-hearted egomaniac, who doesn’t hesitate to step on anyone to get what he wants. But Cooper wants to be around for his children. Notice how excited Cooper is, while he’s basically playing the “cool dad” with Riley at the concert. Hartnett does a good job of being convincing as someone, who’s torn between the sadistic lifestyle of a serial killer and a family man, especially towards the end. Cooper wants it all, to have his cake and eat it too, and he becomes furious, when he realizes he’ll probably lose everything.

Saleka Night Shyamalan’s character is carefully crafted for Trap. She’s already a pop star in real life, so it’s not surprising that she’s noticeably comfortable playing Lady Raven, including the performances. It’s a role that suits her, and well, you have to believe she’s just being herself, or a more exaggerated version of herself. 

Lady Raven is a likable character, someone, who’s humble and compassionate. The final stretch gets a little weird, when Lady Raven tries to play mind games with Cooper (specifically that scene in the car). I’m not saying it’s bad acting, but certain parts are kind of awkward, and they do feel a bit forced.

The close calls are tight and there’s a few good nail-biters, while Cooper improvises his possible escape routes. But for me most of it is undone with the ending, because there’s just too much ridiculous BS in the final moments. 

Hartnett is fantastic. There’s no denying that, but it’s a case, where Shyamalan gets a bit too enamored with Cooper/The Butcher. There’s absolutely no reason why what happened should’ve happened during the ending, considering the circumstances, and knowing how dangerous Cooper is and what he’s capable of.

Still, Trap is an entertaining psychological thriller. Good methodical pacing, the concert scenes have a strong sense of realism, and there’s one brutal scene involving a deep fryer. There’s also something genuinely creepy about Cooper explaining why he goes after his victims. The Butcher believes no human being is truly whole, and that mindset plays a big role for him, when he decides to literally cut his victims into pieces. Really the kind of stuff that makes your skin crawl. 

This is The Josh Hartnett Show. Hartnett’s tour de force performance is impressive, but there’s also some noteworthy performances from the supporting cast. Ariel Donoghue playing the exuberant teenage girl, or Alison Pill showing believable emotions for a conflicted Rachel, because she still wants to believe Cooper is a good person. Also, Hayley Mills is appropriately cast as the wise old veteran character, who’s smart  and knows how to keep her composure. 

There’s also some good humor here. Jonathan Langdon has his moments as the upbeat and enthusiastic vendor. Kid Cudi is good for a few laughs as Thinker, an egotistical diva with a bad attitude. Marine McPhail-Diamond is hilarious as Jody’s (Riley’s ex-friend) mother, the sort of unhinged Pollyanna, with a “dark side.” 

And of course it wouldn’t be an M. Night Shyamalan without a cameo from the man himself! As usual, I don’t mind Shyamalan’s cameos. It’s a brief appearance, and his character (he plays Lady Raven’s uncle) moves the story forward without unnecessarily taking anything away from the developments during the home stretch. 

The story of the firefighter living in the suburbs, moonlighting as an infamous serial killer was loaded with potential. I had high hopes for Trap, but it’s not a complete misfire. Shyamalan’s still capable of delivering wild and thought-provoking stories, and Trap proves he doesn’t need to rely on a big shocking twist. I was waiting for the swerve, because it’s Shyamalan, but I’m glad he decided to go with a more straightforward style of storytelling.

Rating- 6/10

Coming Attractions- Trap (2024)

 

Director- M. Night Shyamalan

Cast- Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, Allison Pill, Marnie McPhail, Vanessa Smythe

Release Date- August 9, 2024

M. Night Shyamalan, the man of many twists and shocking swerves! Sometimes that’s a good thing, and sometimes the surprises in Shyamalan’s films are horribly disappointing. The Sixth Sense is a shining example of Shyamalan at his best, you can also add Signs to that list. 

But it’s hard to forget about the misfires throughout Shyamalan’s career. The twist for The Village was too far fetched and ridiculous. The Happening? A big letdown after so much anticipation for the reasons behind the pandemic, which basically led to a borderline silly film, that’s about people offing themselves in creative ways.

Shyamalan can be streaky with his films, but Trap has a lot of potential so far. A unique premise, and I’m having a hard time believing Josh Hartnett is actually the killer. Surely there’s no way they would reveal a big storyline in the trailer? It’s just too straightforward, considering Shyamalan’s track record.

Setting a trap in a packed arena? Why would the authorities put so many innocent lives in danger? Something BIG has to happen, a lot of paths and different possibilities to go with. 

Unbreakable (2000)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers, no plot twists, big reveals, or major surprises**

Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) was subjected to a life of loneliness and misery after an abnormal birth. Frightened at the sight of her broken baby, Elijah’s mother (Charlayne Woodard) learns the truth about Elijah’s crippling condition: Elijah suffers from a rare (and potentially fatal) degenerative bone disease. As a child, Elijah receives the nickname “Mr. Glass.” Elijah chooses a life of seclusion out of fear for more broken bones, but Elijah’s mother puts an end to her son’s self imposed exile from the outside world by promising him a new comic book every week. The catch? Elijah must go outside, and pick up the comic book under a park bench.

As an adult, Elijah owns and operates Limited Edition,  a gallery featuring comic book art. Out of paranoia and a devoted mission to locate his counterpart, Elijah embarks on a mission to find a real life superhero. Elijah’s search leads him to David Dunn (Bruce Willis), an ex football star, who chose a life as a security guard after a near fatal car accident in his twenties. David’s wife, Audrey (Robin Wright) and David’s son, Joesph (Joseph Treat Clark) have different reactions to Elijah’s beliefs of David being a superhero. As a young child, Joesph is awestruck at the possibility of his father being a real life superhero. On the flip side, Audrey believes Elijah is a lonely and bitter man, who views David as a reason to fill the many voids in his life.

David tries to balance a troubled relationship with Joesph, a broken marriage with Audrey, and the puzzling dilemma of being the sole survivor in a horrific train accident, while deciphering Elijah’s riddles about the supernatural and the unknown. David is left with two options during his journey towards the truth. He can ignore Elijah’s proclamations, or David can take a chance to test Elijha’s theories by assuming the identity of an anonymous crime fighter……..

When it comes to the acting department, the chemistry between Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis is the driving force, without a doubt. Character wise, they’re perfect foils for each other. Willis’ Dunn is this Average Joe, who’s content with his normal life as a security guard at a football stadium. But Jackson’s Elijah is this eccentric and jaded man, who pushes Dunn to go the extra mile, and find the answers to the curious questions that continue to plague his life. As far as the quality for Willis/Jackson collaborations go, I still believe we all witnessed the best from these two in Die Hard With A Vengeance, but the tandem of Elijah and David is a forced to be reckoned with.

Unbreakable is an absorbing and mysterious thriller with a majestic sense of wonder, featuring a truly shocking finale that’s guaranteed to leave you speechless. On top of that, Unbreakable features an unconventional superhero tale, because Willis isn’t flying around and smashing buildings, while using a bunch of fancy gadgets to fight the bad guys, and he’s not spouting a bunch of random and crony one-liners in every other scene. No. Instead, you’re engrossed in the story of this ordinary man, who’s trying to figure out his purpose in life, and as the story unravels, a common man is thrust into a threatening life-or-death situation, where he’s forced to confront the possibility of possessing an extraordinary gift.

Although, I have to admit, with hindsight as my ally, Unbreakable is a bittersweet film for me. M. Night Shyamalan’s career took a noticeable nosedive after The Village. Yes, he had Signs after Unbreakable, but it’s kind of hard to ignore the abominable disasters that followed Signs. The Village, Lady In The Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender, and After Earth more recently. Shyamalan committed career suicide, and I think it’s safe to say he’s in a deep hole right now. Yeah, there’s always a chance he can dig himself out, but we’re talking about about a guy, who’s almost solely responsible for a plethora of widely panned train wrecks.

Also, Shyamalan is someone, who needs a leash. Having so much creative control isn’t a good thing for him, especially when you consider his awful habit/obsession of trying to deliver a SHOCKING twist, because nine times out of ten, the “twist” doesn’t live up to the enormous expectations, or the intended shocking finale is a laughable embarrassment (i.e. The Village, and in all seriousness, there aren’t enough words in the English language to describe my hatred for The Village). When you consider all the potential, watching an Unbreakable, Signs, or Sixth Sense is a big letdown, because I’m reminded of a man, who was on the right track to becoming the next big thing in Hollywood.

Rating: 8/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Unbreakable (2000)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) was subjected to a life of loneliness and misery after an abnormal birth. Frightened at the sight of her broken baby, Elijah’s mother (Charlayne Woodard) learns the truth about Elijah’s crippling condition: Elijah suffers from a rare (and potentially fatal) degenerative bone disease. As a child, Elijah receives the nickname “Mr. Glass.” Elijah chooses a life of seclusion out of fear for more broken bones, but Elijah’s mother puts an end to her son’s self imposed exile from the outside world by promising him a new comic book every week. The catch? Elijah must go outside, and pick up the comic book under a park bench.

As an adult, Elijah owns and operates Limited Edition,  a gallery featuring comic book art. Out of paranoia and a devoted mission to locate his counterpart, Elijah embarks on a mission to find a real life superhero. Elijah’s search leads him to David Dunn (Bruce Willis), an ex football star, who chose a life as a security guard after a near fatal car accident in his twenties. David’s wife, Audrey (Robin Wright) and David’s son, Joesph (Joseph Treat Clark) have different reactions to Elijah’s beliefs of David being a superhero. As a young child, Joesph is awestruck at the possibility of his father being a real life superhero. On the flip side, Audrey believes Elijah is a lonely and bitter man, who views David as a reason to fill the many voids in his life.

David tries to balance a troubled relationship with Joesph, a broken marriage with Audrey, and the puzzling dilemma of being the sole survivor in a horrific train accident, while deciphering Elijah’s riddles about the supernatural and the unknown. David is left with two options during his journey towards the truth. He can ignore Elijah’s proclamations, or David can take a chance to test Elijha’s theories by assuming the identity of an anonymous crime fighter……..

When it comes to the acting department, the chemistry between Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis is the driving force, without a doubt. Character wise, they’re perfect foils for each other. Willis’ Dunn is this Average Joe, who’s content with his normal life as a security guard at a football stadium. But Jackson’s Elijah is this eccentric and jaded man, who pushes Dunn to go the extra mile, and find the answers to the curious questions that continue to plague his life. As far as the quality for Willis/Jackson collaborations go, I still believe we all witnessed the best from these two in Die Hard With A Vengeance, but the tandem of Elijah and David is a forced to be reckoned with.

So, is David Dunn a real life superhero? Well, through a serious of tests (including Joseph testing David’s limits on a bench press in the garage by adding more weights with each set) and teasing, we get the answer we’ve been waiting for towards the end of the film. Dunn takes a chance to test his powers by saving the victims of a home invasion. Although, David runs into a BIG problem, when he encounters his only true weakness: Water. David is drowning in the victim’s pool, but he’s rescued by the children at the last second. David returns to catch the killer in a chokehold. The killer struggles to break free, but David’s super strength is too much for him, and Dunn is able to kill the perpetrator……but it’s not over yet.

Dunn takes a trip to Elijah’s exhibit at Limited Edition. Here, David thanks Elijah for pushing him to realize the true potential of his powers. But Dunn uses a newfound power to unravel Elijah’s shocking secret. Unbeknownst to David, he possessed clairvoyant powers for many years. David accidentally discovered this gift by bumping into various criminals (David’s clairvoyant powers only work, if he touches the evildoer) at a train station. After shaking Elijah’s hand, David is able to see every little detail in Elijah’s dark past. Elijah is the one, who caused the train accident, and Elijah orchestrated and committed various acts of terrorism throughout the United States. Why? Because Elijah was trying to force David out of hiding. Playing the role of David’s real life adversary, Elijah believes his acts of terrorism are justified, because the hero needs a villain to feud against. Of course, David reports Elijah to the police, and Elijah is forced to live out the rest of his days in an institution for the criminally insane.

A great twist. Willis did a wonderful job of selling the heartbreak and devastation  after discovering the truth behind Elijah’s alter ego as a real villain, and Jackson’s delusional pleas towards Wills as he leaves Limited Edition with his back turned are executed to perfection. You really get the sense Mr. Glass believed in the justified morality of his crimes to lure David out into the open. It’s a great shocker, because you can see David wanted to believe in his friendship with Elijah, but he’s crushed after Elijah reveals himself as the culprit.

Unbreakable is an absorbing and mysterious thriller with a majestic sense of wonder, featuring a truly shocking finale that’s guaranteed to leave you speechless. On top of that, Unbreakable features an unconventional superhero tale, because Willis isn’t flying around and smashing buildings, while using a bunch of fancy gadgets to fight the bad guys, and he’s not spouting a bunch of random and crony one-liners in every other scene. No. Instead, you’re engrossed in the story of this ordinary man, who’s trying to figure out his purpose in life, and as the story unravels, a common man is thrust into a threatening life-or-death situation, where he’s forced to confront the possibility of possessing an extraordinary gift.

Although, I have to admit, with hindsight as my ally, Unbreakable is a bittersweet film for me. M. Night Shyamalan’s career took a noticeable nosedive after The Village. Yes, he had Signs after Unbreakable, but it’s kind of hard to ignore the abominable disasters that followed Signs. The Village, Lady In The Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender, and After Earth more recently. Shyamalan committed career suicide, and I think it’s safe to say he’s in a deep hole right now. Yeah, there’s always a chance he can dig himself out, but we’re talking about about a guy, who’s almost solely responsible for a plethora of widely panned train wrecks.

Also, Shyamalan is someone, who needs a leash. Having so much creative control isn’t a good thing for him, especially when you consider his awful habit/obsession of trying to deliver a SHOCKING twist, because nine times out of ten, the “twist” doesn’t live up to the enormous expectations, or the intended shocking finale is a laughable embarrassment (i.e. The Village, and in all seriousness, there aren’t enough words in the English language to describe my hatred for The Village). When you consider all the potential, watching an Unbreakable, Signs, or Sixth Sense is a big letdown, because I’m reminded of a man, who was on the right track to becoming the next big thing in Hollywood.

Rating: 8/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1