As someone who has spent countless hours huddled in the dark, my eyes glued to the silver screen and my heart racing with anticipation for M. Night Shyamalan’s latest offerings, I must say that Trap has taken an unexpected turn in my personal Shyamalan hierarchy. While the twists and turns were not as mind-blowing as they were in The Sixth Sense, the film’s unintentional humor left me in stitches more times than a serial killer’s catchphrase.
CAUTION: The following content discloses significant storylines from the movie “Trap“, so be mindful to avoid spoilers if you haven’t watched it yet. Proceed with discretion!
As a game enthusiast, when I first heard about the idea behind “Trap” – a chilling tale of a father and serial killer who takes his daughter to a concert, only to discover the event is a trap to capture him – I was instantly hooked, convinced this could be one of M. Night Shyamalan’s most gripping movies yet. When I eventually found time to stream the Josh Hartnett-led thriller using my Max subscription, I must admit, it turned out to be quite engaging, but not for the reasons I initially expected.
Although Shyamalan’s horror films, particularly “The Sixth Sense,” are among my favorites, and his twist endings never fail to impress me, neither the climactic revelations in the “Trap” finale nor its supposedly tense scenes were responsible for my enjoyment of the movie. In fact, among the 2024 films I’ve watched, I sincerely believe it ranks as one of the funniest.
I Think Trap Is One Of M. Night Shyamalan’s Funniest Movies
I firmly believe that “Trap” stands among the top comedies of the year, and it’s not just a laugh, but one of M. Night Shyamalan’s finest films to elicit laughter when you need it most. Known for creating some rather cheesy thrillers, especially his 2008 movie “The Happening” that borders on hilarious, I find this new crime drama is nearly as funny for similar reasons.
Initially, the conversation feels incredibly uncomfortable, like when Cooper (played by Harnett) dramatically narrates his emotional response to discovering that Rachel (Pill) helped set up the trap. Many of the plot twists and turns are laughably illogical, such as using a partial receipt for Lady Raven’s (Shyamalan) concert as incriminating evidence, given that most tickets for such events are bought online. The film also portrays an unusual scene of Lady Raven’s concert, which is scheduled to take place during the day but is supposedly followed by an evening show on the same day – a concept I have never encountered before.
I Especially Loved The Intentional Comedy
I enjoyed the unintentional humor in the movie “Trap,” but I also found certain aspects, particularly in the third act, to be frustrating. My favorite comedic scenes, however, seemed deliberately planned, a style that director M. Night Shyamalan has employed more frequently in his recent works, such as his 2015 film, “The Visit,” a found footage thriller.
While TopMob’s Eric Eisenberg calls Hartnett miscast in his Trap review, I think he brilliantly leans into the goofier aspects of his otherwise dark role, with his over-the-top line delivery and facial expressions. Of course, Jonathan Langdon steals the show as T-shirt vendor Jamie, whose realization that he unwittingly helped “The Butcher” escape the venue in a mid-credits scene caps off the film wonderfully. However, I think people have been sleeping on the subplot with Riley’s (Ariel Donaghue) frenemy Jody (Harley Ruznisky) and her mom (played by Marnie McPhail), who had me laughing hard when she warns Cooper about her “dark side” and by her reaction to Jody’s freakout when Riley gets to dance with Lady Raven.
Seriously, Get M. Night A Straight Up Comedy Script And Turn Him Loose
Through movies like “Trap” and some of his more recent works, it’s clear that M. Night Shyamalan possesses a real knack for comedy. He might even excel more in comedy than in crafting horror stories.
Instead of creating another horror movie, it seems like the right moment for him to fully utilize his talents in his next project. Perhaps he could venture into making an original dark comedy, one that doesn’t have to be overly sincere for once. I’d also be intrigued to see how he would tackle a full-blown farce.
Well, it seems like the real “bait” might have been to captivate viewers with hints of a deep, suspenseful drama, but instead, you managed to tickle our funny bones unexpectedly. Kudos, M. Night Shyamalan! You certainly know how to keep us guessing!
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2024-12-16 00:38