Trap (2024)★★★★★

I was worried about this one, because it was wayyyyy hyped up, and that usually doesn’t bode well for a scary movie. But I love Josh Hartnett, especially in scary movies! I even moved some things around on the calendar just so I could watch him in another tomorrow…and I thought his performance in this was excellent. He definitely has the “extremely creepy facial expression” thing down pat.

There was genuinely a lot to like in this movie. The camerawork was great. I loved all the awkward angles and closeups, especially of Josh Hartnett’s face. I was impressed by the concert setup - for the film itself and for the titular trap. They created a whole act with music and meaning (I think most - or all - of it is Saleka Shyamalan’s original music)! They filled a stadium for a pop concert! It’s not really my kind of music, but I can get behind the epic efforts that went into it all.

I was impressed by the pacing of this movie. It’s not short, and I was surprised by how much and yet how little had happened by the halfway point. I wasn’t sure if it was going to start dragging on, and I definitely wasn’t sure how it was going to continue to build tension and intrigue, and yet…

Anyway, this movie was worth all the hype. I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed everyone’s performances, I enjoyed the story and how it played out, and I enjoyed the direction and the cinematography.

And Hayley Mills was in this! I love Miss Bliss! Also Kid Cudi, whose music is not really my kind of music either, but whose performances in random movies and TV shows I always love.

I’m glad I added this one to my calendar. I’m glad something other than The Handmaid’s Tale made me feel something, made me feel like saying something. I’d recommend this movie for fans of M. Night Shyamalan, fans of serial killer stories, and fans of scary movies in general. It’s not perfect (I particularly have some questions about the last fifteen minutes or so), but I loved it.