‘Trap’ Is a Frightening Family Affair

Warner Bros.’ “Trap” follows Cooper Adams, a man who, from first glance, seems like an average dad accompanying his daughter to a pop concert. M. Night Shyamalan, a director known for his frightening twists, quickly makes it clear that Cooper is no ordinary concertgoer. Beneath his fatherly façade lies his serial-killer persona, the “Butcher.” As the concert progresses, Cooper learns that the event is a set-up to trap the Butcher after authorities had discovered he would be in attendance. He plots to evade detection by the police and his own daughter, but the elaborate trap seems to stop him at every turn.

For M. Night Shyamalan, “Trap” was a family affair in ways beyond the father-daughter plotline. His daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, took on a leading role as Lady Raven, the pop star headlining the concert. Saleka’s already impressive performance was complemented by 14 original songs she wrote for the film. Thriller film talents seem to run in Shyamalan blood; another one of Shyamalan’s daughters, Ishana, broke through earlier this year with her directorial debut in “The Watchers,” with her father serving as the producer. These recent cinematic ventures seem to be just the beginning of an exciting family foray into more thrilling films.

More powerful performances permeate the PG-13 movie. Critics applauded Josh Hartnett’s portrayal of the two-sided Cooper, saying he “makes a great doting, ridiculous dad--though he’s also able to navigate the shift into darker territory” (Time Magazine). Ariel Donoghue as Riley humanizes the story, as we watch Cooper grapple with hiding his identity while trying to be present to his endearing daughter. In a clever bout of casting, Hayley Mills, known for her work in 1961’s “The Parent Trap” appears as the FBI profiler leading the hunt in a much more sinister “trap” than the one from her past. With this spectacular cast and an inventive storyline, The Daily Beast agrees that the successes of “Trap” might be “the start of a new era” for the Shyamalan clan.

“Trap” is playing in theaters now and will be available for licensing from Swank soon.