M. Night Shyamalan sets the stage for a thriller that surprisingly is about as straight forward as you can imagine. He hooks audiences in mainly for the concept of “Trap” where a serial killer has been snagged in his most vulnerable spot and has to look for a way out. Any other time, a movie like “Trap” could not have worked too well, but Shyamalan pulls it off well thanks to the leading performance from Josh Hartnett. Star Hartnett as Cooper Adams is the primary reason to see “Trap” as he not only creates this conniving, clever, and vindictive villain, but he seems to have a lot of fun portraying him.
Everyday dad Cooper has a secret. He also happens to be a vicious serial killer known as “The Butcher.” Taking his daughter Riley to a concert to see Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan), Cooper is horrified when he learns that the venue is a meticulously orchestrated attempt to find and trap “The Butcher” once and for all, as led by a determined criminal profiler. Pushed in to a corner, Cooper must now figure out how to escape while also keeping Riley oblivious to his sinister background.
Cooper seems cut out of the same cloth as “Dennis” from “Split.” He’s so unpredictable and so immensely intelligent that he’s a force to be reckoned with quite often. Star Shyamalan delights in delivering a stellar horror thriller that’s both entertaining and darkly comedic in tone. There’s a hilarious sub-plot that undercuts the dread involving Riley and her feud with a school friend, along with her overbearing mother that managed to inspire a few chuckles. It gladly never hinders the film’s momentum. Although a lot of the violence is primarily implied, Cooper Adams is a man that we know from the outset will slaughter people if he has to.
Hartnett’s tall stature and charisma make him somewhat a serpentine presence who spends an enormous amount of time devising his next escape attempt while at a concert with his daughter. The novelty evolves in to wondering what he’ll be able to pull off next, and if anyone will catch on to him. Working as his foil is Hayley Mills in a surprisingly effective role as a criminal profiler who makes it her mission to find Cooper aka “The Butcher.” While her role is mainly non-verbal, she conveys immense gravitas to the point where even Cooper fears her.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Alison Pill who is a consistently overlooked performer. Most of “Trap” relies on the non-verbal, to where Cooper spends most of his mental energy trying to escape this evident trap, while also tending to his daughter, The visual cues and quick cuts to help enhance the sense of paranoia. All the while the whole motif of cellphones shining lights in a concert begin to feel like prying eyes on Cooper. “Trap” is a fun, simple, and clever thriller packed with talent and some great suspense and It hooked me in from minute one.
Hartnett is probably one of the best film villains of the year.