Do you know M. Night Shyamalan? The filmmaker who makes high drama thrillers that seem to confound some moviegoers with their craziness? Now he’s back with Trap, a fantastic new film that was definitely polarizing for some audiences. I’m 100% for Trap, folks, and I’m not alone. Our own Jeremy Mathai gave the film a pretty positive review, writing, “Trap is many things at once: a cleverly constructed thriller centered around the most unlikely of protagonists, a dark humor that’s much sillier (and more flattering) than many would expect, and a twisted genre film that borders on B-movie/exploitation.”
Jeremy, however, felt that Trap ran out of steam in the third act. In fact, most of the complaints I’ve heard about the film are related to that third act, where Trap changes its main setting and ventures into unexpected territory. But I’m here to tell you that the third act is, in my humble opinion, the best part of the film. It’s in that act that Shyamalan goes wild and crazy and unleashes his signature brand of weirdness. In short, I loved Trap, third act and all, and I can’t watch it at home again.
Thankfully, I’ll get my chance soon, because Trap is coming to digital and Blu-ray. According to Warner Bros., Trap will be available on August 30, 2024, “for early Premium Digital Ownership at home and for 48-hour rental via PVOD on participating digital platforms where you buy movies, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Fandango At Home, and more.” And for people who prefer physical media (like me!), Trap will be coming to 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on November 5, 2024.
Trap will be released digitally and on Blu-ray
In Trap, Josh Hartnett plays Cooper, a goofy dad who takes his teenage daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert to see Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan), a pop star in the vein of Taylor Swift. But alas, this is no ordinary concert! As it turns out, Cooper is actually a notorious serial killer known as the Butcher. The police officers don’t know who the Butcher is, but they somehow know he’s attending this concert – and they’ve set up a trap to catch him. After learning of this, Cooper must use his wits to find a way out of the concert stadium without getting caught and alerting his daughter to his true nature.
Although Trap is a thriller, it’s also clear that Shyamalan wants us to have fun with this material, which makes Trap all the more entertaining. I really think some people didn’t realize that this film was supposed to be funny, and that might be coloring their perception. As the director told /Film:
“You know, I’ve always had a penchant for black humor… ‘Signs’ was probably one of the films I put the most humor into up to that point. But now it’s my instinct and from ‘The Visit’ onwards I put it into everything. And I think nervous laughter is a really funny thing. And because it’s so nice when we go to the movies together and hear everyone laughing and then that turns into gasps and then hopefully screams and applause.”
And while everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I believe Trap will age well. In a few years, people will realize it’s an entertaining film that deserves more praise. The first step in that re-evaluation will be when the film arrives in the home digitally and on Blu-ray. Viewers will then have a new chance to not only see the film, but also see the extras that follow.
- Setting the Trap: A New M. Night Shayamalan Experience
- Saleka as Lady Raven
- Deleted Scenes
- Cooper is stopped by the SWAT team
- Riley shows Lady Raven her room
- Cooper takes a hostage and escapes
- Expanded concert scene: Where has it gone?
