**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
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