As a longtime film enthusiast and critic with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that “Trap” is a movie that leaves much to be desired. Despite M. Night Shyamalan’s best efforts, the film seems to have fallen short in several key areas that have historically made his movies stand out.
M. Night Shyamalan is a director who is both widely recognized and controversial, having spent more than three decades in the industry. His work spans from grandiose science fiction films to intimate psychological thrillers. Admirers may not be able to claim every one of his movies as masterpieces, but even his most vocal critics must acknowledge that there have been several undeniable successes under his belt.
In “Trap,” M. Night Shyamalan constructs a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse involving a notorious serial killer, portrayed by Josh Hartnett as Cooper. The unique twist in this film is that the twist itself is already known to the audience from the start. Here’s the catch: the pop concert Cooper and his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) are attending is actually a clever ruse by the police, as they are searching for none other than Cooper, the infamous serial killer dubbed The Butcher. As law enforcement tightens its grip on him, Cooper must employ his intelligence to slip out of the arena undetected and conceal his true identity from his daughter.
In terms of M. Night Shyamalan’s films, the opening performance of “Trap” was roughly as predicted by industry experts. The movie grossed around $15 million domestically and approximately $20 million worldwide. Whether “Trap” will eventually cover its production costs or prove to be a significant flop for Shyamalan is yet to be determined. Given the unexpected nature of his past works, it’s intriguing that this film’s opening is so ordinary – a paradox we aim to clarify in our analysis.
Trap had some tough competition
Initially slated for a late summer premiere, the film “Trap” could have offered an engaging thriller to those seeking alternatives to animated movies or franchises. However, it failed to make a significant impact during its opening weekend on the box office. One factor contributing to its underwhelming performance was that the first weekend of August 2024 saw impressive showings from previously released blockbusters such as “Deadpool and Wolverine” and “Twisters.” With numerous big titles in the season, “Trap” struggled to keep up.
M. Night Shyamalan’s newest movie finished third in domestic box office earnings, trailing significantly behind the second-place film, “Twisters.” With a $22 million weekend, “Twisters” earned roughly 50% more than “Trap.” Unsurprisingly, “Deadpool and Wolverine” dominated the box office in its second week, amassing an impressive $97 million. It seems that moviegoers seeking a big-screen adventure chose the dependable Marvel Cinematic Universe over Shyamalan’s latest offering.
M. Night Shyamalan’s films have an uneven history
M. Night Shyamalan is a unique filmmaker, and it’s clear that his fame impacted whether people chose to watch “Trap.” The most characteristic twist of all is that it’s difficult to predict which of his films will be successful. Although he is renowned for classic movies like “The Sixth Sense” and “Signs,” Shyamalan has directed several films that could have discouraged people from enjoying his work. Movies such as “The Last Airbender,” “The Happening,” “Glass,” and “After Earth” aren’t likely to leave viewers eager for more.
As a fan, I believe M. Night Shyamalan’s involvement might have been instrumental in giving “Trap” a chance to shine on the big screen. Although his recent films like “Old” and “Knock at the Cabin” didn’t exactly break box office records, they managed to secure moderate success. In all likelihood, without Shyamalan’s star power, it could have been difficult for an off-brand summer thriller with no franchise ties or big names attached to attract audiences. It seems that “Trap” fittingly mirrors the mixed reviews and box office performance of much of Shyamalan’s filmography as a whole.
Shyamalan’s self-funded budget was too large
Since 2017’s “The Visit”, M. Night Shyamalan has been personally financing his films, and this was also the case with “Trap”. The director is said to have invested approximately $30 million in making the movie, which may not seem like a large sum given today’s trend of movie budgets reaching into the hundreds of millions. However, $30 million is still a significant amount, and a debut weekend grossing around $15 million isn’t particularly impressive because “Trap” needs to earn around $65-$70 million at the box office just to cover its costs. In simpler terms, “Trap” needs to make more than twice its opening weekend earnings to break even.
Shyamalan finances his own projects to maintain creative control, which is beneficial because his passion for storytelling is evident in the final output. Successful movies require visionary creators with a strong direction and abundant enthusiasm, but they also need more than that. Shyamalan’s $30 million budget for “Trap” didn’t significantly impact its initial viewership, but it did establish a financial benchmark higher than his previous films. While “Trap” didn’t completely bomb, it didn’t quite meet the financial expectation either.
There wasn’t a big marketing push
It’s not always recognized by everyone how crucial marketing is for a film’s box office performance. Filmmakers have to promote their upcoming works and, beyond that, persuade audiences that their new release is worthy of both time and money investment. Unfortunately, it seems M. Night Shyamalan’s latest production may have overlooked a key promotional step in the process.
Instead of “trailers” for the movie “Trap,” cleverly hinted at some of M. Night Shyamalan’s finest work yet, with suspenseful glimpses that promised a heart-stopping viewing experience. However, it appears that “Trap” may have missed out on another crucial element for success – early press screenings, which could have garnered more attention and anticipation among viewers.
Providing critics advance screenings of a film can boost its visibility among potential viewers, as the absence of such screenings may signal concern. Since critics didn’t get an early sneak peek at the movie “Trap,” all reviews were published on the same day. This sudden influx of opinions might have encouraged more people to watch “Trap” during its opening weekend, which could have impacted its box office performance positively.
Word of mouth isn’t doing the movie any favors
If the buzz surrounding a film before it’s released doesn’t generate interest, its success depends heavily on audience recommendations. Filmmakers have limited control over the conversations people have about their work. Occasionally, a phenomenon like “Barbenheimer” gains momentum and becomes a sensation, seemingly for unknown reasons. In such cases, reviews often become the primary means of spreading information about a film, and in this aspect, “Trap” is facing challenges.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film titled “Trap” currently has a 52% approval rating from critics. Such a rating may not attract large numbers of moviegoers, and even those who consider critical reviews with a pinch of salt might be deterred by the audience’s scores. As per viewers, “Trap” is generally well-received, but its 64% score suggests it’s nothing exceptional (it also received a C+ on CinemaScore, which is a significant industry benchmark for audience response).
In the case of M. Night Shyamalan’s film “Trap,” buzz generated by audience discussions played a crucial role due to his mixed reputation. Some viewers were eagerly anticipating whether it would be a remarkable comeback like “The Sixth Sense” or another unremarkable production similar to “Lady in the Water.” Upon reading Friday reviews, some may have chosen to watch “Deadpool and Wolverine” over the weekend rather than giving “Trap” a shot.
Trap is lacking some star power
In a movie, it’s not just the director, previews, and critic reviews that determine whether people go to the theater to watch it. Some films have thrived simply due to their star power, and often, all a film needs is a compelling lead actor to ensure its success. For instance, M. Night Shyamalan made an intriguing choice in casting Josh Hartnett as the central serial killer character in “Trap.”
In the 2000s, I was a regular face in movies for Hartnett, and if you were a film enthusiast during that time, you might have felt a bit Hartnett-fatigued due to his frequent appearances. However, following a mysterious hiatus from Hollywood, he’s only made sporadic appearances on both the big and small screens over the past decade. After his critically acclaimed role in 2023’s “Oppenheimer,” Hartnett continued his comeback with “Trap.” Yet, it’s been quite some time since I was the main attraction, making it challenging for me to single-handedly carry “Trap.” While my performance in the film is top-notch and arguably the best aspect of “Trap,” my name doesn’t hold the same recognition as before, so it may not draw a massive audience on opening weekend.
Is it a concert movie or a thriller?
In the movie “Trap”, the concert sequence, which forms the backdrop for a significant portion of the film, might be one of its major weaknesses according to M. Night Shyamalan. His daughter Saleka, who portrays the lead character Lady Raven and also composed all her songs, stars in the movie. Shyamalan emphasized that this concert was crucial for him, stating, “The concert, which is essentially happening in the background, held immense importance to me, so I infused it with a lot of love.” This dedication towards filming the performance is evident, bordering on being overly conspicuous.
The initial segment of the film seems heavily dominated by extended scenes of Lady Raven’s performance, causing some viewers to feel as if they are watching a concert film rather than a thriller. As a critic for Leisure Byte pointed out, the movie “Trap” is overloaded with performances and songs from Lady Raven that undermine the tension significantly. At times, it appears as though we’re witnessing a concert instead of a murder mystery. This imbalance in tone characterizes the movie as a whole. Unfortunately, “Trap” fails to create the necessary suspense and apprehension required for a successful thriller, which could have contributed to its less-than-stellar reception by critics and lower box office attendance if it were a more streamlined production.
The ending doesn’t get people excited
M. Night Shyamalan excelled at crafting surprising endings when he first entered filmmaking around 30 years ago, and “The Sixth Sense” solidified his knack for delivering shocking third act twists. Although he hasn’t quite matched that level of excellence since then, the concluding scenes of his films are typically their most captivating aspect. This is what makes the ending of “Trap” disappointingly ordinary.
In contrast to typical M. Night Shyamalan movies, this film doesn’t feature a shocking twist that changes your perspective on all the events witnessed. Instead, the conclusion here operates in a way that is almost the opposite of how many other Shyamalan endings function. By the time the credits finish for “Trap,” you are less likely to be pondering over the movie you’ve just watched and more likely to anticipate what might happen next.
It’s uncertain if there will be a sequel to “Trap,” but the movie seems to hint at further, possibly grander, escapades for The Butcher. However, implying that the next film could surpass this one might not encourage viewers to fully appreciate the current movie, and this ambiguity could be why “Trap” isn’t drawing large crowds in theaters.
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2024-08-06 04:30