Anticipation grows as the first reviews for M. Night Shyamalan's Trap generate hype for its upcoming release in August.
Trap is a 2024 psychological thriller highlighting a serial killer named Cooper, "The Butcher" who goes to a Lady Raven concert with his teenage daughter. He later realizes that the concert is a trap set by law enforcement to try to catch him.
The movie stars Josh Hartnett and Ariel Donoghue It is set to premiere in theaters onAugust 2.
Following an early screening of Trap, critics shared their first reviews and reactions of the new M. Night Shyamalan movie.
Overall reviews are largely positive, with most praising Josh Hartnett's performance, Shyamalan's direction, and the ominous vibe of the film.
Physical Media calls Trap an "absolute banger" while commending Shyamalan and Hartnett:
"I’m happy to report that 'Trap' is an absolute banger. Old M. Night Shyamalan is back with this one. Josh Hartnett killed it and I’m here for his comeback."
Screen Rant's Joseph Deckelmeier praised Shyamalan's "masterclass in building suspense" for the movie, describing Hartnett's performance as "captivating" and "absolutely brilliant:"
"M. Night Shyamalan gives a masterclass in building suspense for 'Trap.' Josh Hartnett is captivating and brings so much humanity to a dark character. He’s absolutely brilliant in this film."
Deckelmier also singled out Saleka Shyamalan in the movie, noting that "she is a true triple threat in Trap:"
"I was blown away by Saleka Shyamalan! She is a true triple threat in 'Trap.' The way that the energy of the music went hand in hand with tension that was building is genius!"
Reece (aka @guywithamoviecamera on TikTok) had a short yet impactful review for Trap, calling the film as M. Night Shyamalan's "best since The Village:"
"M. Night is back baby. 'Trap' rocks. His best since 'The Village.'"
Chris Gallardo of The Hollywood Handle went all-out in his praise for Trap, describing the movie as "a fun thriller that's a return to form for M. Night Shyamalan:"
"'Trap' was a fun thriller that's a return to form for M. Night Shyamalan! Blending the tones of the Halloween movies and the Hitman games, 'Trap' intricately blends these elements to create that ominous atmosphere."
Gallardo complimented Hartnett's facial expressions and dual personality as Cooper and Butcher, noting that the actor unleashed "his inner Michael Myers and Agent 47:"
"Josh Hartnett truly stands out here. His facial expressions were ON POINT when balancing Cooper the Butcher's fake and real personalities. He managed to channel his inner Michael Myers and Agent 47 all at once, adding to that creep factor."
Gallardo also pointed out that Trap "stands high alongside Shyamalan's other works like Split and Knock at the Cabin:"
"Plus, Saleka's songs are some fun bops! While the dialog may feel odd and the editing confusing at times, 'Trap' stands high alongside Shyamalan's other works like 'Split' and 'Knock at the Cabin.'"
Will Trap Be Another Box Office Triumph?
The 2024 movie lineup has been showcasing banger after banger in recent months, most notably with hits coming left and right such as Inside Out 2 (which just became the highest-grossing animated movie in history) and 's smashing box office debut for an R-Rated project (per Deadline).
The strong critic reviews for Trap are a good indication that it will attract audiences wanting to see something new and thrilling next month.
Still, Trap is going up against some heavy competition in August, with the likes of Zachary Levi's Harold and the Purple Crayon (August 2) and Alien: Romulus (August 16) looking to outperform their box office projections.
This is on top of Deadpool & Wolverine's expected dominance at the weekly box office.
M. Night Shyamalan is no stranger to success since his movies already amassed more than $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office, and it's safe to assume that Trap will continue his momentum in ticket sales.
Josh Hartnett is coming off a scintillating performance in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer where he and the rest of the cast won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in 2023's Screen Actors Guild Award.
Based on the reactions, Hartnett's brilliant acting chops seem to be the anchor of the movie, and he may have once again delivered another remarkable outing.
Trap premieres in theaters on Friday, August 2.
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