Trap

8/13/2024:
I refuse to review this...

10/14/2026:
This is the third movie selected for my movie group, "The Society of Questionable (yet Awesome) Taste."

This is the second time I've watched this, and I never thought I would. I didn't review it the first time because it was too much for me to cover at the time. In fact, I feel guilty every time I give a negative review and feel like I always need to justify why I don't like a movie. What ends up happening is that I have more fun writing the reviews than watching the actual movie. It's sort of meditative to sit down and write out a review, even if I hate a movie. There's plenty to enjoy about movies you hate when you have that attitude.

So, that brings us to Trap. I'm not going to lie, but I just don't feel like writing a massive review, so I'll give some quick notes. The acting in this feels so stilted, everything is super contrived, and the music is horrendous. I'm sorry if that sounds mean, but that's how I feel. Josh Hartnett is one of those actors who gives me kind of an uncanny feeling when I watch him. I loved Josh Hartnett in The Faculty, as he fits that awkward teen stereotype, and all of his other roles seem to fit that weirdness. Here, playing a serial killer, he just feels off in a way that doesn't portray a convincing serial killer. Maybe some people would find that scarier, but I just found the performance embarrassing.

That's not to say I hate everything. Jamie, played by Jonathan Langdon, is by far the best part of this movie. His cheerful demeanor across from whatever Josh Hartnett is doing is pure gold. I also liked the final five-ish minutes of this, but they don't save the rest of the movie. I found this extremely cringeworthy and just not for me. Don't let me rain on your parade if you enjoyed it!

Also, don't worry if I've been descending into negative reviews lately. That's just how it goes sometimes. I have a lot of special movies planned for after I finish Hellraiser!