Entertaining and well acted thriller starts with a wild premise, shockingly delivers it about 1/3 of the way through, and then manages to wring a few more surprises out of the remaining hour. I couldn't help but think, often, of Hitchcock's "Rope", which is a good thing. From its claustrophobic feel to its remorseless and well educated villains -- and even the homosexual slant that is so pronounced in "Trap" are hinted strongly at in Hitch's. Also, a brilliant turn from a heelish Chris Reeve.

There's a couple of small contrivances that feel a little convenient, the humor doesn't always hit the mark & it takes about 40 minutes 2 really take off, but once it does - wow. It's impossible 2 imagine anyone reading this script & not having the back of their heads blown off, since it's all on the page. Sublimely constructed, it reaches a point of becoming exhaustingly clever. Still, it's a must see 4 anyone who appreciates the work behind such a meticulously crafted, yet fun, narrative.

Good buildup and climax to the first act with too many twists in the second to be taken seriously. "Sleuth" anyone? Also steals much from "Les Diaboliques."

I really wanted to like it given the fact that I'm a huge fan of Michael Caine and Sidney Lumet, however I came away very disappointed. Caine gives a great performance and Reeves is admirable but the script was utterly atrocious. It was filled with way too many awkward lines. Also this was one of the most obvious play to movie adaptations ever. The whole movie was just off because of those two details. Very annoying given the amount of potential this movie had.

Here's my idea for the Deathtrap sequel: Ira Levin writes a screenplay based on the play "Sleuth". Michael Caine (Levin's illegitimate son) agrees to star in it as a means to off his dad and inherit the huge royalties Levin accrued from "Sliver". Christopher Reeve seduces Caine in a desparate attempt to inherit Caine's stellar royalties from "Blame it on Rio". Meanwhile. other character include a whiny exwife, a rabid ferret and a nymphomaniacal gardener. There, now all that's left is a plot.

*needs rewatch*

Gets a little too cute for itself, but still entertaining.

Really good thriller, reminiscent of "Sleuth" only now Caine is Olivier's character and Reeve replaces Caine. Highly recommended.

Christopher Reeves was more than Superman, but most people don't remeber that. He actually had quite a range. This movie is an example of his acting abilities. Michael Caine's script choices are not always the best, but here is fantastic as well. The twist at the end of the movie will really get you.

Reeve is hunky when he's acting the part of a sociopath.

Awfully much like _Sleuth_, and not as good, but still very entertaining

Too clever by half? Got some funny stuff but it keeps turning everything back on its head and it gets pretty tired eventually. Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve are both excellent, however, and in the end, it's an entertaining movie, just not the most satisfying one.

Clever, but too clever for its own good.

A great and promising start leads to a final fifteen minutes that just can't match up to the original promise. While Caine, Cannon and Reeve are all great in their roles here, and the multiple twists extremely engrossing, in the end it trades shock value for good storytelling and as such winds up at an unsatisfying denouement that can't meet the audience's now high expectations.

An overlong, second-rate _Sleuth_.

This seemed like the kind of thing that I would like, but it just rubbed me the wrong way. The plot contrivances and Hitchcock-referencing and all of that are clever as hell, but as it goes along there's more and more of the whole "the movie you're watching is about the writing of a play about the movie you're watching about the play about the movie about the..." thing, right up until the clever but not very satisfying ending. Not a bad film, but it left me mostly unsatisfied.