This was the film I went to see the day I had my fall at the Alpine. You know, the one where no one came to my aid? I had always meant to report on this, but things have been going on here, so now is my chance.
"Trap" starts with a man named Cooper (Josh Hartnett) taking his daughter Riley (wonderfully played by Ariel Donoghue) to a Taylor Swift-like concert, where the singer in question, Lady Raven, is played by M. Night Shyamalan's daughter! Nepo baby!
Something is off from the start, and it begins with Josh Hartnett's performance. His is the worst portrayal of a serial killer I have ever seen. Try and compare this to one of the greatest--Joseph Cotten in Hitchcock's "Shadow Of A Doubt." As soon as the twitchy, anxiety ridden Hartnett takes his seat beside his daughter, one knows he is bat shit crazy. Then he leaves his daughter alone amid this mass of chaos. Retreating to a bathroom stall, it does not surprise one when it is discovered he is a serial killer. And not a very good one, because the lack of understatement and inability to hide his facial emotions calls his persona out loud and clear.
There is no real twist, until Alison Pill, as his wife, Rachel, enters. Did she set up the trap in coordination with Lady Raven and the cops at the concert space, or was it all done by legal enforcement? That is for the viewer to figure out, and let me tell out, I did not, nor did I care.
The only thing I cared about was an appearance by Hayley Mills as a sort of FBI profiler. Hayley, with that unmistakable voice, and personal charm, is a true professional, giving her all to what is a piece of crap. Which I am sure Hayley knows, but never reveals that knowledge during her too infrequent appearances on screen. And she looks fabulous, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How does Shyamalan keep getting financed for his movies, which bomb every time? Unless he has another performer I care about, I have no intention of seeing another one of his movies. I have seen six now, and four of them were crap--"The Sixth Sense" is still the best, and "Signs," was good, but the aliens were done on the cheap.
The only one trapped in "Trap" is the viewer, so, I warn you, stay away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Except for Hayley Mills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my friend calls him Shamma-lamma-dingdong. A little childish to make fun of someone’s name, but I see his point. Overrated.
ReplyDeleteVictoria, My nephew Jonathan supposedly went to school with him. But I agree
ReplyDeletewith you that he is overrated. Where is Robert Altman when he is needed?