Trap (2024)
Director(s): M. Night Shyamalan
Writer(s): M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan
It’s hard to keep your focus on writing about an entertaining suspense thriller without it becoming too much of a Josh Hartnett appreciation article. The guy has had a fun resurgence in the last couple years but I’m just ECSTATIC that his journey back to the main stage of entertainment consisted mostly in the macabre realm with his memorable performance on an episode of Black Mirror and his latest film, Trap, the latest offering from M. Night Shyamalan (who has been having a nice come back himself in the last 5 years or so). I remember seeing the trailer and instantly being excited once I saw Josh Hartnett giving an exaggerated smile, like wearing a mask that slowly turned into panic. It was already interesting the minute the classic M. Knight movie twist was (seemingly) out in the open within the first couple minutes of the trailer; a father and his daughter are attending a concert of a famous pop artist and it’s revealed that the concert itself is a trap to catch a notorious serial killer…who happens to be the father himself. The trailer did a brilliant job in setting the tone in which we are following the actual antagonist of the movie weave their way through an army of officers and agents while also still holding up the façade of being a normal father taking his daughter to a concert.
This is one of those movies where you’re a bit conflicted on who you’re actually rooting for since the suspense throughout the story is derived from the serial killer trying to escape the law but then again, the killer is played by Josh Hartnett so…SWOOOON? Throughout the movie, in between the suspenseful moments of almost being caught, you see the struggle the main character has in genuinely wanting to be a good father and husband but all of that means nothing once he goes into survival mode and any shred of decency in him is gone in an instant once he feels the walls start closing in. The movie does a great job in painting the narrative in his motives and actions through the lens of a serial killer subject matter expert, Dr. Grant who is working with the FBI. It was super interesting to have insight on why a serial killer would do something after the audience has just watched the main character either has just done it or planning to do the task so it’s yet another challenge for the main character as he weaves through various situations to escape the clutches of the law.
Speaking of the situations, this is the main factor of what makes this movie a fun watch; M. Night does a great job coming up with different kinds of scenarios where capture seem inevitable, only for the clever serial killer to weasel his way out of the conundrum (you see how I’m trying to not use the movie’s title throughout this article? Hope you folks appreciate my efforts!). Josh Hartnett’s take on the character is brilliant and believable as a troubled individual who relies on his charm and intellect to both gather information and get out of pickles throughout the movie and when you have someone with his kind of pedigree, meaning, someone that has been known as a heartthrob, it makes the character chillingly come to life even more! It would be a safe assumption to say that this movie heavily relies on the Hartnett’s acting ability and in a way, it feels like a vehicle for his “comeback” to the limelight.
I’ve always been quite the fan of Hartnett; he has a star quality about him that one could easily write off as typical but then you see his body of work, especially in the horror genre and you realize that his kind looks, and smoldering charm are just facets of what makes him so effective in horror flicks. Whether he’s playing the hero or the villain, the guy gives a performance that relies on his ability to make him likeable. Even when the guy is supposed to be someone you root against, he does it in a way where he’s all smiles…until he’s not, then you take him much more seriously. The guy has been in some of my favorite horror flicks like The Faculty or 30 Days of Night and it’s so refreshing to see him come back to the genre as of late to remind everyone that a smile can kill.
…and on that note, it is with great pleasure that Josh Hartnett is this year’s Inductee to the FearTASTIC LEGENDS VAULT! Thank you good Sir for your contributions to the horror genre in your career and based on your performance in Trap, you still got PLENTY of gas left in that macabre tank so we look forward to see who you will be saving or stabbing NEXT!
FearTASTIC LEGENDS VAULT 2024 Inductee: Josh Hartnett
Congratulations this heartthrob/ scream king/ macabre monsieur/ dastardly DOOD!
Life is FAR more interesting when we take interest in things that scare us.