I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with M. Night Shyamalan’s movies. On one hand, his talent for crafting suspenseful atmospheres with surprising twists keeps me intrigued and coming back, hopeful for another masterpiece like The Sixth Sense or Unbreakable. But just as often, his films take bold narrative risks that don’t quite land, leaving me frustrated or completely let down. Caught between excitement and skepticism, this unpredictable balance makes his films divisive for me.

It’s for this reason that I’ve been hesitant to watch any of Shyamalan’s latest films. While I expect there will be a twist designed to deliver some level of payoff, his recent efforts have felt less impactful than the thrilling reveals of his early career. The last time I felt compelled to see one of his films on its opening weekend was The Village in 2004. I still remember the buildup to that movie — eagerly anticipating the masterful suspense I loved in The Sixth Sense and Signs.

Instead, I was met with a storyline that moved at a snail’s pace and a twist that fell flat, leaving me disappointed.

That experience left a sour taste, and since then, my excitement has been tempered with caution, knowing that Shyamalan’s storytelling risks sometimes fall short of the mark. Yet, the allure of seeing whether he’ll once again capture that early magic keeps a small spark of curiosity alive, even if tempered by past letdowns.

Trap is the latest thriller from the famed director. The story follows firefighter Cooper Abbott (Josh Hartnett), who takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue), to see her favorite singer, Lady Raven (Saleka Night Shyamalan) in concert. However, upon arriving at the venue, Cooper notices an unusually heavy police presence. He soon learns that law enforcement suspects a notorious serial killer will attend the event, and they’ve set an elaborate trap.

In classic Shyamalan style, Trap delivers a major plot twist, but with an unusual approach: this time, the twist is unveiled early in the film. We quickly learn that Cooper, the seemingly devoted firefighter and father, is in fact the very killer whom law enforcement is hunting. His daughter, Riley, remains blissfully unaware of her father’s deadly secret, creating a dark tension as the film progresses.

Rather than building suspense around the revelation itself, Trap shifts its focus to a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game as Cooper uses his cunning to outwit the police stationed around the concert venue.

With every maneuver, he stays one step ahead of the officers who are determined to capture him, all while maintaining the façade of being a loving father. This reversal of Shyamalan’s usual twist creates a suspenseful, psychological thriller that keeps the audience on edge as Cooper’s web of lies is revealed.

While Trap starts off strong, it unravels as the story progresses. The major turning point comes when Cooper manages to kidnap Lady Raven, coercing her into helping him escape from the concert hall. With the immediate threat of capture now behind him, the film’s initial tension drops off sharply, losing much of its suspense. This shift in focus leads to questionable character decisions that strain credibility, particularly as Lady Raven and Cooper’s family members continue to engage with him, instead of allowing the police to handle the situation.

Watching them choose to chase the killer, despite the evident danger, feels implausible and detracts from the film’s overall impact. These odd and unrealistic choices undermine the suspense the film had worked so hard to build, leaving me questioning the logic behind these actions and ultimately diminishing what could have been a tightly wound thriller.

Trap earns a modest two out of five stars. While the film opens with promise, setting up an intriguing storyline and a fresh take on Shyamalan’s signature twist, it ultimately fails to deliver on its potential. The early reveal of Cooper as the killer is an interesting narrative choice, but the film’s tension quickly dissipates as it veers into a series of increasingly implausible character decisions.

Key moments undercut the suspense, making it difficult to stay invested. Shyamalan’s direction and the performances of the cast provide some highlights, but Trap lacks the cohesion and intensity needed to keep the audience engaged. By the film’s end, what began as a compelling thriller loses its edge, making it a disappointment for fans expecting the high-caliber suspense of Shyamalan’s earlier work.