Spoiler warning: this article discusses key details and the ending of Trap.
In his latest thriller movie, Trap, M. Night Shyamalan again does what he's known for, which is a suspense movie with strong psychological tension. It is based on Cooper, played by Josh Hartnett, a fit and devoted father with a dark secret hidden deep within him. He's also the serial killer known as "The Butcher."
The movie then takes viewers through a tight ride at the pop concert, where the FBI has set up a trap to catch the elusive killer. By the end, the twist concerns not only Cooper's identity as a killer but also how it affects his family, especially his wife Rachel, who finds herself orchestrating his downfall.
Shyamalan seats his audiences on the edge with twists that turn the narrative upside down. While the twists aren't as mind-bending as The Sixth Sense, Trap gives interesting insight into the making of a villain.
The killer in Trap is Cooper
Right from the beginning of Trap, the dual nature of Cooper, who is in reality a doting father and an evil serial killer, has been laid bare. Here, he takes his daughter, Riley, to the concert, which she insisted on attending, but there will be her father's downfall, as a set up by the FBI to catch him.
Better known as "The Butcher," Cooper has been on the run for some time, and the heavily fortified location hints at the FBI finally closing in on him. Of course, real suspense lies in the film, not in who Cooper might be but in how the rest of the story plays out once the trap is set.
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The twist takes form when Cooper manages to corner the headlining talent at the concert, Lady Raven, played by Saleka Night Shyamalan. With his hopes of sneaking out unseen turned out the window, Cooper intimidates Lady Raven by telling her he has a hostage.
This high-stakes battle of wits pits the murderer against the pop star. In fact, according to USA Today, Lady Raven uses her social media followers to outwit Cooper but eventually telephones the police from a locked bathroom.
The movie will shift its tension from survival to psychological collapse since the collapse of the whole life Cooper constructed seems to be starting.
How Cooper’s family helped seal his fate
While the action unfolds in rapt attention to Cooper's concert, a real twist plays out at home. Cooper's wife, Rachel, played by Alison Pill, has felt that something wasn't quite right for a while now.
She initially thought her husband was having an affair, but, as CBR says, Rachel uncovers Cooper's darker secret. Her suspicions arise when she notices his clothes constantly reeking of cleaning chemicals, and in the end, she informs the FBI when she leaves a receipt for concert tickets in one of Cooper's safe houses.
It becomes more evident who played what role to set that "Trap" when Cooper returns home for not escaping the authorities at the concert. She confronts him and reveals that she has been working with the FBI.
Such makes the story even more complicated. It shows how desperate Rachel had become to stop her husband's reign of terror, not only for the public's safety but also for the safety of their children.
This betrayal leads to the final act: Rachel poisons Cooper, weakening him and leaving him to be taken. However, the movie does not end with Cooper getting arrested. Shyamalan's tradition of hanging the audience from a cliff gets one last look at Cooper's might.
While in custody, Cooper frees himself from his handcuffs using the spoke of his daughter's bicycle. In the final shot, he is grinning at the viewer menacingly, making one think that the story is by no means complete, with room for a sequel.
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Shyamalan's 2024 movie Trap has a post-credits scene
Trap is another rare case, as it has a post-credits scene that, while out of place for Shyamalan, adds a comedic note to an otherwise tense and dramatic film. Early on in the story, Cooper befriends Jamie, a concert merch vendor, to learn about the security presence at this venue.
USA Today declares that the post-credits scene revisits this conversation. In the scene, Jamie humorously discovers that he unknowingly helped the FBI target. This scene then adds a touch of humor and provides a short break from the tension of the storyline.
Overall, Trap is a good addition to the Shyamalan film canon, uniting psychological horror with family drama. To be honest, the plot twists seemed less surprising than in his previous films, but the movie tells a story of a man being torn between love for the family and a tendency to violence.
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Trap is available to stream on Apple TV+.
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