Sippin’ Cinema Series: Take 2 – TRAP Boldly Revealed It’s Twist Early and It Did NOT Payoff

I’d like to start out with the fact I actually LOVED the idea of this film. I had no idea which direction they’d take. But a serial killer being trapped at a Taylor Swift’esque concert experience was extremely original and I’m so glad M. Knight brought a unique idea and story to us. I support anyone trying to come up with original IP and stories to give the audience a reason to run to the theatre.

Now that I have put that out there. This movie missed so badly I don’t even have know what movie I would want to compare this to or put in this category. I love Josh Hartnett, he couldn’t even save this trash fire of a script. I get that he was supposed to be a guy that only was comfortable as a killer and didn’t really know how to interact as a normal human in society or relate to his daughter, but some of the lines just made me laugh at how NO ONE IN HISTORY WOULD EVER SAY THAT. The horrible convincing of taking his daughter into the hole in the arena floor, the interactions with his daughter when he is trying to find where they should go when getting merch, and just all the cringe attempts at being “crispy” and relatable took me out.

It had zero tense moments as well. That was tough when a film with a serial killer never felt tense once even when it tries its hardest. Ishana Shyamalan I actually enjoyed. She gave a good performance as the iconic singer Lady Raven. But nothing in a million years could have been done with the “talk like his mommy” attempt in the car. I just couldn’t believe such a shit scene made it to the screen. The daughter did her best at being a crazed fan and that at least was believable. The reveal at the end with the mom having been suspicious and so she tells the cops to look into her husband as a serial killer just is ridiculous. Tried to bring too much together late and the concert and then home scenes didn’t even feel like the same cohesive movie.

I hope we get some more Knock at The Cabin, Old or Split films in the future from M. Knight, but this is a movie that I would never revisit and just have no reason to.

⭐️/ 5

C. A. ROETHLE