Shyamalan needs an editor. With the early writing, directing, and production successes of his all-time great films, such as The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, and The Village,  Shyamalan quickly became a victim of his success. Unfortunately, that same drive, passion, and attitude have resulted in monumental failures, such as Lady in the Water, The Happening (a film I like more than most), The Last Airbender, and After Earth. I wonder if the critical acclaim and box office success of 2016’s Split did as much harm as it did good. Looking back, it seems more like an anomaly than an uptick in his career. Still, with his production company and many loyal fans, Shyamalan will continue churning out subpar films. If he had editors or some advisors in his inner circle who could steer parts of his scripts that go haywire into smaller chunks, he could better focus on his strengths, including his originality, visuals, and subtle storytelling.

Trap is different from any other Shyamalan movie. There is no twist. We know that going into it. We know the movie’s entire plot by watching a two-minute trailer. The film’s premise, while unique, is nonsensical. While that can be fun for some, it was hard for me to suspend belief. Federal agents and other local law enforcement agencies have been tipped off that a serial killer known as The Butcher will be attending the concert of popstar sensation Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan) in a downtown Philadelphia arena. The whole concert becomes a trap to capture The Butcher. All those working the event (ticket-takers, vendors, hospitality) are in the know. All concert attendees are not.

Cooper (Josh Hartnett – Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor), an otherwise ordinary father, surprises his teenage daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) with tickets. From the onset, Cooper observes the increased level of security. As he and Riley walk the concourse, heavily armed agents set up a perimeter around the arena, though only Cooper seems to pay attention to it. During the opening band, Cooper notices middle-aged men randomly being escorted from their seats by arena security, only to return minutes later. He learns from a t-shirt vendor that The Butcher is at the concert and that no middle-aged men can leave the arena through any exit until they pass a screening process.

With his identity as The Butcher known to the film’s audience, Trap becomes a game of cat and mouse as Cooper tries to determine what else the authorities know and how he can evade capture while remaining inconspicuous to Riley, who, while enjoying the show, also wonders why her father keeps leaving his seat. Cooper secures a badge card that allows him to access all parts of the arena under the guise of an employee. He also accesses the radio network, where he learns that expert profiler Dr. Grant (Hayley Mills – The Trouble With Angels, The Family Way) has a firm grasp of who he is. Through her broadcast to the team, Cooper learns that she even knows of the small animal tattoo on his inner wrist.