M. Night Shyamalan comes up with a wild idea every now and then and turns it into a feature film. After the fairly entertaining Old and classics like Unbreakable and The Sixth Sense, it’s now Trap’s turn. A film in which a kidnapper/murderer is trapped “in disguise” during a pop concert, all under the watchful eye of his daughter. What could possibly go wrong?

No ’tabula rasa’

In that sense, it’s almost impossible to go into this film as a ’tabula rasa.’ The trailers, which are unavoidable if you go to the movies regularly, give so much away that it’s no longer much of a surprise that the main character (Josh Hartnett) is going to have a tough time. He’ll be hunted by a number of police officers and military units, but, of course, he’ll find a way to keep things exciting. An interesting premise that quickly starts to feel a bit dull.

Cheap thrills trap

Additionally, this film seems to be a perfect vehicle to launch the singing career of Shyamalan’s daughter, Saleka. At least, that must have been M. Night’s thought, as it all comes across as quite forced. Even though Saleka does a decent job, combined with M. Night’s own cameo, the whole thing feels somewhat cheap and unprofessional.

Are we there yet?!

Moreover, the film seems to drag on forever, even though it only lasts about an hour and a half. Not a good sign. Add to that the fact that the ending (spoiler alert) leaves something to be desired, and you can conclude that we’re dealing with a very mediocre film. Trap is entertaining, but that’s about all there is to say.

★½

Click here for more articles about movies!