By Tab Olsen
Don’t miss this edge-of-your-seat thriller in theaters now! TRAP is a whole new experience in the world of M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Split), featuring incredible performances by rising music star Saleka Shyamalan. And it’s rated PG-13, totally suitable for teens!
Synopsis
A father and teen daughter attend a pop concert, where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event. Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, TRAP stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, and Allison Pill. It’s supposed to take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but it was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Movie
TRAP is a cat-and-mouse story centered around a notorious serial killer known as The Butcher. Those looking for director M. Night Shyamalan’s signature plot twists need look only as far as the trailer for this high-concept thriller. But don’t worry, he still has a few surprises left in store.
Josh Hartnett plays Cooper, a “cool dad” accompanying his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a pop concert. Cooper soon discovers that police have the building surrounded as part of a large-scale law enforcement sting – and he’s the person they’re looking for. 1960s Disney icon Hayley Mills from The Parent Trap plays the FBI profiler. Cooper needs to use his wits to escape the arena without being captured or revealing his true identity to his daughter.
This is a horror/crime/suspense movie that’s totally appropriate for teens. Especially teen girls, which is the audience that the singer caters to. There is literally only one F-word in the whole movie – which came as a shock since it was the only one! There was one jump scare that got me. Finally a psychological thriller without blood or gore, only implied violence (mostly just references to people being chopped up).
Josh Hartnett is brilliant as the nice dad/bad guy. He killed his role with just his facial expressions and the shifting of his eyes! It’s pretty creepy to think of Riley’s dad being The Butcher and she has no idea. Ariel Donoghue is totally natural and believable as the starstruck Lady Raven fan who begins to wonder why her dad is acting so weird. I was glad to see that Saleka as Lady Raven is a great singer AND actor. There are special guest appearances by Russ and Kid Cudi. I thought M. Night Shyamalan himself was going to just have a brief cameo, but he actually plays a small part, which was cool to see. The comic relief character is pretty funny, be sure to watch all the way to the ending credits to see his final scene!
This movie premise is fresh and new, yet classic, like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. The plot is very twisted. The set design and cinematography are amazing. The music is great, the suspense is tense, the movie is scary and yet hilarious, and you even get to learn a little about the psychology of criminal profiling. The movie blends several genres: thriller, horror, comedy, and a pop concert. I would like to watch this movie again, it was so much fun. Ask your dad to take you to see this movie while it’s still in theaters!
Can’t go to the movies? Soon you’ll be able to watch TRAP at home! Beginning August 30th, TRAP will be available for Premium Digital Ownership and for 48-hour rental on participating digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Fandango At Home, and more. Later in the year, TRAP will release on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD, with the Trap 4K and Blu-ray release date officially set for November 5, 2024.
Nepotism or Not?
The director’s daughter Saleka plays pop star Lady Raven, and she contributed 14 original songs to the movie. Very rare is it to have someone sing the whole soundtrack in a movie. Only a handful have done this, like Prince in Purple Rain and Michael Jackson in Moonwalker. Saleka is extremely talented: she can compose songs, perform songs, and play the piano. She blends her classical piano training with a modern R&B style, creating a unique sound that often incorporates elements of dark pop and soul.
Some people don’t appreciate the nepotism in this movie, but I just look at it as a family project. Isn’t it good when dads and daughters are able to work together? If your dad is a director and you’re a singer, why not take advantage of your combined skills and make a movie? It would be different if Saleka didn’t actually have any talent and was just benefiting from the Shyamalan name, but she’s a rising star in her own right.
Some others say the movie is just an infomercial for Saleka and her music. I see nothing wrong with Shyamalan helping to promote his daughter’s music and acting career, especially when done in a way that thrills and entertains the audience, so that everyone benefits. In my opinion this movie is a decent balance of a suspenseful plot and Saleka’s music. Part of it was definitely used to promote her as an artist, but at the same time it’s a great movie with talented actors.
The Music
A classical pianist since childhood, Saleka has been immersed in music for most of her life. So it’s not like her dad put her in the movie for no reason. Saleka has been praised for her silky smooth velvety voice, and her ability to deliver R&B runs and riffs with ease. Her music is often described as melodically imaginative and lyrically hypnotic. Saleka’s creative vision and passion have been highlighted as key aspects of her artistry.
This production is about half concert and half movie. Even though the movie takes place during a concert and you hear a lot of Lady Raven songs, it’s definitely not a musical. The concert is simply going on in the background. If you think about it, TRAP required a double production: one for the concert and other for the movie. They actually put on an entire concert just for this movie! Since they took the time to film the whole concert, I’d love it if they put the concert footage as a bonus on the DVD.
Saleka wrote, crafted, and produced her own music to fit each scene. The songs tie in perfectly because she crafted them specifically to fit the script and narrative of the film. If you listen carefully, the lyrics go along with the plot (“Save Me,” “Hiding,” “Liar,” etc.). But her song “Release” (see below) also would have been perfect as a James Bond theme! And if you’re interested in modern dance, you’ll be inspired by Lady Raven’s background dancers.
Did you see the TRAP movie? How did you like it? I loved it! Have you listened to any of Saleka’s songs? If so, do you have a favorite? Mine is probably “Where Did She Go?”
