M. Night Shyalaman’s Trap Review Roundup

M. Night Shyalaman’s Trap finally hit theaters on August 2, but what are critics saying about it? Reviews for the film from media outlets are now online, giving movie-goers an idea of what to expect and right now, things are looking up for the sometimes polarizing filmmaker.

On GameSpot sister site Metacritic, Trap has an aggregate score of 52 right now based on 27 reviews. The movie has a 47% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 60 reviews. Shyalaman’s previous outings Old (2021) and Knock at the Cabin (2023) have better aggregate review scores on Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes, with Knock edging out Old.

As always, whether or not you enjoy a film may not have anything to do with what the critics might say. Read on to see a breakdown of some of the Trap reviews from numerous critics.

Trap is Shyalaman’s 16th directorial feature and again, goes back to suspenseful roots. The film stars Josh Hartnett as a father who takes his daughter to a concert, unbeknownst to her he is the infamous serial killer, the Butcher.

Trap

• Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
• Written by: M. Night Shyamalan
• Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, Alison Pill
• Premiere Date: August 2
• Rating: PG-13
• Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes

TheWrap

“Doesn’t have the depth of Shyamalan’s most important films or the theatricality of his most memorably weird experiments. But it’s one of his best thrillers.” — William Bibbiani [Full review]

Slashfilm — 6/10

“When the film quite literally runs out of plot, only the filmmaker’s sheer determination and commitment to the bit manage to salvage an ending that throws logic and reason out the door several times over.” — Jeremy Mathai [Full review]

The Associated Press

“This is a popcorn movie, with a surprising turn from an underrated star. And ultimately, it’s a pretty fun time at the theater.” — Lindsey Bahr [Full review]

The New York Times

“The bigger the scope and the more Cooper’s psychology is explained, the less taut the film feels.” — Amy Nicholson [Full Review]

ABC News

“Josh Hartnett does his best playing a serial killer and devoted dad living in the same body. But you don’t need a sixth sense to know that director M. Knight Shyamalan is running on empty as his patchwork thriller slips from disappointment to disaster.” — Peter Travers [Full review]