M. Night Shyamalan’s divisive $82 million hitTrapis now streaming on Max, and the 2024 film really deserves more love. Like many of Shyamalan’s more recent films,Traphas divided audiences, with one sect of his fanbase claiming that it is just another one of the director’s lesser films while the other sect claims that it is his best in years. The conversation aroundTraphas been the most interesting part of the film’s release, and now that Shyamalan’s new thriller has made it onto Max, an all-new group of viewers can join the discussion.
DirectorM. Night Shyamalan started his careeras one of Hollywood’s brightest upcoming filmmakers, with early films likeThe Sixth SenseandUnbreakablecementing him as one of the greats. However, later films likeThe Happening,The Last Airbender, andAfter Earthmade many audience members sour on his films, greatly harming his reputation. 2016’sSplitwas Shyamalan’s most critically acclaimed film in years, leading to what some have seen as a resurgence with more recent movies likeGlass,Old,Knock at the Cabin, and most significantly, 2024’sTrap.
For Fans Of…
Did You Know:Trap’s pop star Lady Raven is played by M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter, Saleka Night Shyamalan.
Trap
Cast
Trap is a film by writer-director M. Night Shyamalan under his Blinding Edge Pictures label. The film is part of a deal struck with Warner Bros for him to direct and produce several films under their banner.
Now thatTraphas been released on Max, there is no better time to watch M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film. The movie follows Josh Hartnett as Cooper Abbott, a serial killer who goes to a Lady Raven concert with his daughter. Once there, Cooper realizes that the entire concert has been overrun by law enforcement, with them baiting Cooper to the event to capture him before he leaves. The incredibly tense thriller spends most of its time following Cooper’s attempts to escape the concert venue unnoticed, leading to some incredibly unique storylines and setpieces.
Trapis a wholly unique film, with it truly not feeling like anything else. The performances fromJosh Hartness and the rest ofTrap’s castare incredibly over-the-top, with this being one of the best aspects of the film. The strange, stilted, and stylistic dialogue lends itself to creating a surreal and campy story that entirely hinges on how fun the premise is. Luckily, the premise ofTrapis incredibly fun, with the idea of a concert being utilized to catch a serial killer acting as a killer hook that can appeal to almost any audience member.
3 Movies To Watch If You Liked M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap
If you liked M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap, you’ll surely enjoy these three films.
Trapis undeniably an M. Night Shyamalan movie,with the director’s fingerprints being all over the film.Trapleans into many of the tropes that are present throughout M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography, with the film being unapologetically his. Rather than trying to hide Shyamalan’s influence on the film, as movies likeAfter Earthdid,Trapleans into it, with it being the movie’s biggest strength. This can even be seen in the casting of Saleka, M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter, as Lady Raven, with the film featuring a lot of incredible original songs that feel like they could be real-life pop hits.
“Despite being flawed, though,Trapis thrilling at times and a ridiculous display of human behavior at others. Don’t expect any deeper meanings or hidden messages buried throughout this script. Shyamalan’s latest project is about as straightforward as it gets. Of course, this is a positive, as viewers can center all their attention on Josh Hartnett. His performance here is another great turn in his late career. It’s not exactly a knock out of the park, but there’s plenty in Shyamalan’s thriller that will hold audiences until the end of summer.” -Patrice Witherspoon,Screen Rant’s Trap Review
Trap Is Much Better Than Its Mixed Reviews Suggest
Especially For Shyamalan Fans
Trapwas plagued by mixed reviews when the film started its theatrical run, but the movie is much better than these reviews suggest. Like many of M. Night Shyamalan’s other films,Trapis an acquired taste. While the movie’s style and writing is odder than what many viewers not familiar with the director might expect, longtime Shyamalan fans will absolutely loveTrap.The film is one of the most Shyamalan M. Night Shyamalan movies yet, and even if that doesn’t appeal to someone now, it may after they seeTrapand the director’s other films.
Trap Ending & Twists Explained
The latest thriller from M. Night Shyamalan features a slow burn cat-and-mouse game with the traditional twist ending to go with twists along the way.
On top of that,Trap’s performances are incredibly good, with Josh Hartnett’s being one of the best of 2024. There is a lot to love in the film, and while it may not be for everyone, viewers should definitely check outTrapif it appeals to them.
$82.7 million
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