M. Night Shyamalan's Trap: A Hilariously Tense Hitman Movie?
M. Night Shyamalan's Trap: A Stealth-Thriller Mashup
M. Night Shyamalan's Trap isn't your typical Horror thriller. It's...well, it's kind of like a Hitman video game movie! Seriously. This movie starring Josh Hartnett as Cooper (a seemingly regular dad with a seriously dark secret—he's a serial killer) who suddenly finds himself in a massive FBI sting operation at a pop concert. The movie highlights how effectively the tension works. He's trying desperately to escape, with his daughter none the wiser (or so it seems!)
And as things progress– that's where things get interesting. This is no ordinary thriller: the entire cinematic experience seems to borrow so heavily from that insanely popular game franchise— it uses every classic video game trick imaginable – like that scene where he shoves a woman down some stairs to distract police –it feels instantly recognizable to any video game player who enjoys these thrillers!
Agent 47 Meets Awkward Dad: A Surprisingly Funny Thriller
If you've never played Hitman, it's all about playing as Agent 47 – that suave assassin completing jobs with brutal efficiency. Almost every mission plays out the same way: get into place, find the target, kill them in amazing creative ways, escape. No witnesses, no problems. That familiar setup isn't just similar to that particular movie; that is essentially how Trap’s own protagonist attempts his escape, though the underlying methods show significant contrasts.
The sheer creativity matters here! It is as crucial as stealth; the challenge’s not merely to kill, but to solve problems creatively. Those puzzles and disguises are a huge part of that Hitman gameplay! Trap totally gets this. Cooper –while not a professional assassin but simply a very enthusiastic serial killer— manages those intense situations remarkably, using everything available: he uses various ingenious escapes, disguises himself using whatever is available: he steals uniforms, gets a keycard, makes distractions; sometimes gruesomely hilarious. This approach elevates those thriller aspects and the comedic genius found only within certain plotlines adds unexpected brilliance!
Hitman on Film: Trap's Superior Dark Humor
Past Hitman Movies (2007's Hitman starring Timothy Olyphant and 2015's Hitman: Agent 47 with Rupert Friend) totally missed that vital element from that great video game: the hilarious, dark humor! This is where Trap excels – it's seriously funny! It leverages the awkwardness of Cooper (a serial killer who’s also a loving dad!) That dynamic alone provides hilarious moments and builds tons of unexpected and unexpected tension; creating this hilarious experience and emphasizing this contrast, enhancing both those moments when suspense appears, along with making several truly memorable, and even gut-bustingly funny scenes. He's incredibly adept at charming everyone, a totally surprising addition!
That constant evasion sequence reminds everyone of the typical failed "Mission Stories" you'll run into in Hitman. He doesn't act rational all the time—the story cleverly mirrors how many of us get totally out of control and make unexpected, poorly reasoned plans just as many characters do during those stressful and extremely critical circumstances. He makes increasingly absurd decisions under extreme stress; highlighting those traits involved in those actions involved with serial killings and intense situations when people must constantly try to remain one step ahead. This perfectly displays those real flaws in his thought patterns. It's intense, unexpectedly realistic and creates intense emotional responses from the audience while remaining deeply entertaining.
Josh Hartnett’s Stellar Performance: Awkward, Intense and Terrifyingly Compelling
Josh Hartnett makes Cooper totally compelling. He’s flawed and even displays unexpected vulnerabilities while constantly stressed and desperately trying to survive those situations thrown his way; showing these flaws completely impacts those interactions and how that affects the emotional tone of several scenes. Hartnett completely transforms those moments which could be overdone; this allows many audiences members to easily feel emotionally invested. His humor comes directly from that intense struggle.
It’s funny because it’s surprisingly real. Hartnett's performance elevates Trap into something seriously great. His reactions to that pressure become those comedic bits; not some silly overacting; highlighting how these kinds of pressures greatly influence how even highly-skilled people react! He makes Trap a suspenseful blend of character-driven exploration with classic thrillers, folks.
Conclusion: A Surprisingly Good Twist
Trap might have some weaknesses that critics might have chosen to focus on in reviews: The plot felt unbelievable to some viewers. And some critics just didn't really like that strangely unique approach or how Hartnett handled the emotional tone! However, these aren't massive flaws that can detract from those incredibly creative moments, especially from a purely storytelling perspective. That unexpectedly humorous, thriller approach with Hartnett's impressive character work make Trap an underrated gem!
