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Good idea ruined by an awful script (No Spoilers)

posted 6 months ago by Creamofdacrop884 (2126)
18 replies | jump to latest

Just got back from the theater and this might be the biggest disappointment of the summer for me. I was excited for this by the trailers and not only was it a letdown, but it might be one of the worst movies I've seen this year. The writing here is so bad and full of so many plot holes and things that don't make sense. Saying the dialogue sounded like it was written by AI would be giving M. Night too much credit because nobody in real life talks like how the characters in this movie do. There was no tension at all despite the concept being there. Also, full on nepotism display with M. Night casting his daughter. Not even joking when I say this thing turns into a music video at least 3 times for her music with nothing happening. Also without spoiling anything, just be warned that the trailer is misleading. Really all I can say without spoiling anything, but as an M Night fan this is definitely on the lower tier of his filmography and I can't recommend it. I'd give it a 3/10 at best. I'll answer in questions if people want anything spoiled.

[–] MarcTale (91) 6 months ago

[deleted]

[–] redban (6644) 6 months ago

I saw the trailer for this movie when I went to see Twisters. I knew the movie was unlikely to be good just based on the silly concept. I don’t have a lot of confidence in M Night these days.

Just LOL at 3 music videos in the movie just to showcase his daughter

[–] filmgeek99 (666) 6 months ago

It honestly perplexes me as to why there are still people continuing to support M. Night's movies after the guy has made nothing but shit his whole career. He's made two or three good movies at best. He seems like a nice guy and I suppose that's part of the reason why there are still folks rooting for him each time a new film of his comes out, but I don't see how anyone can still have hope when he's got a batting score of 3/16 at this point.

[–] acelesson (810) 6 months ago

You probably aren’t far off

6th sense
Unbreakable
Signs
split

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8822) 5 months ago

The Village is one of his best films.

[–] Creamofdacrop884 (2126) 5 months ago

I actually really liked Glass despite some of it's flaws. But yeah, he's very hit or miss and his recent movies have been OK at best.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8822) 5 months ago

I would say that Trap is better than OK and I also liked Old.

[–] [deleted] 5 months ago

It’s for his high concepts. He’s got a wonderful imagination but poor execution. He should collaborate with someone. I think he would shine as a duo. Like the Coen bros, Farley bros, Wachowski lady bros, ect. Does M. Knight have a brother?

[–] davodikum (6203) 6 months ago

I thought this movie was pretty good. Would have been better if it stayed contained to the music arena. But, yeah, I wasn't bored. It was nice to see a full theatre, too. Probably skewed by only having a couple showings a day because of the deadpool movie.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8822) 5 months ago

I think that containing the story to the arena might work with changes to the script, but as it stands, I was starting to get bored just watching him walk around evading the police, kind of doing the same thing over and over. Him escaping from the arena revitalized my interest in the story.

[–] Kingswood (1278) 5 months ago

I agree 100% that it should've stayed contained in the arena, and whether he escapes the net or not being the big finish.

They needed more going on inside the arena to make it shine...maybe incorporate his daughters ex-friend's mother into it, by having her get so angry at him she lies to the police that it could be him (not realizing it actually is him) and he has to deal with her and the police net simultaneously, or that she aids him unknowingly, but then he still kills her because of how her daughter treated his daughter.

IDK, something like that could work.

Regardless, they definitely should've focused on how/if he makes his escape without his daughter finding out the main plot.

5/10 for me.

[–] davodikum (6203) 6 months ago

You said many plot holes, care to elaborate.

[–] Juschill (809) 6 months ago

I liked it. It was a missed opportunity to be a really good movie. I thought Josh Hartnett was good. Yes, too much nepotism in the movie highlighting his talentless, unattractive daughter.

2.5/4

[–] davodikum (6203) 6 months ago

I liked it too. I think it really had a good shot at being a great bottle movie and kinda blew it. If that makes sense. But the whole vibe of the movie was pretty good. It was a fun movie, considering the subject matter. It was never boring, a thing way to many movies seem to be getting away with these days.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8822) 5 months ago

I think calling her talentless is a bit much. I agree that she probably won't be winning any Oscars any time soon--though who knows now that the Oscars are a joke--but, being fair, she was at least serviceable.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8822) 5 months ago

Implausibilities are not plot holes. There are things that happen that are implausible, but I don't recall any plot holes. What are you thinking of there?

I agree that part of the purpose of this film is to act as a promotional piece for Night's daughter, but I still enjoyed the movie. In fact, not more than ten minutes ago I was telling someone who was trying to decide between Twisters and Trap that I thought Trap was the overall more interesting and enjoyable film.

It's certainly not a perfect movie. Some of the dialogue is ham-fisted, characters sometimes act in unrealistic ways, and to push the plot along occasionally implausible things occur. But the story is interesting and original and Josh Hartnett gives an EXCELLENT performance throughout.

I also throught that Ariel Donoghue, who I had never heard of before, also does quite well as his daughter. She gives a very natural and charismatic performance that makes me think she might have a real future as an actress if she wants it.

Overall, I did enjoy the movie and didn't consider it time wasted. I'd say it's a solid mid-level entry in his filmography. I'd put it right around where I would put Old in the rankings.

Perhaps part of the reason I wasn't disappointed with it is because I looked at the RT scores ahead of time and set my expectations accordingly. As it stands, the film exceeded them.

[–] WhereIsRent (1089) 5 months ago

I’m an M. Night fan as well and a bit of an apologist for his films. I enjoyed The Happening for the intentionally silly B-Movie that it is.

There’s no defending Trap though, this movie was clearly only made to kickstart Shyamalan’s daughter’s music career. There is no suspense or tension to be found in this supposed ‘thriller’ and the movie is utterly incapable of going even just a few minutes without something stupid happening.

Trap 100% deserves the Worst Director, Worst Screenplay and Worst Film Razzies and I’m genuinely disappointed in M. Night for making this nepotism shitfest. Say what you want about his other films but he at least was just trying to entertain with those.