MOVIE REVIEW: TRAP

 

A man and his teenage daughter realize they're at the center of a dark and sinister event while watching a concert.

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Cast: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, Alison Pill

Release Date: August 2, 2024

Genre: Crime, Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for some violent content and brief strong language

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

M. Night Shyamalan's Trap is a collection of bad serial killer cliché paired with a ludicrous set up which might have been fun if everything wasn't so hackneyed.  The general conceit offers plenty of options to build tension and tighten the screws on the Josh Hartnett's central killer as the walls close in.  Shyamalan doesn't take advantage of any of this by delivering a series of bland situations and coincidences that barely register throughout the film's runtime.  The script is peppered with silly contrivances such as overly chatty arena employees and SWAT team members apparently have blinders on to people acting suspiciously.  Josh Hartnett desperately tries to deliver a chilling performance as a central killer but neither side of the character is believable since the "normal" is anything but and the killer side is just too full of goofy twitches and mommy issues.   It’s hard to place all the blame on Hartnett since the script lacks any sort of nuance or depth so it doesn't work on a serious level and its never campy enough to be enjoyed as a goof.  There is also a sense of cynicism that washes over once Shyamalan pops up on screen in one of the sillier coincidences that only ramps up the film's stupidity as it heads into its final act.  It doesn't help that the singer who's the lynchpin of the overall conceit is none other than his daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, in a shameless display of nepotism.  It would all be easier to forgive if any of the film was more entertaining but it’s a testament to Trap's quality that it feels far longer than its actual runtime.

D

MOVIE REVIEW: GOON

ON DVD & NETFLIX STREAMING

GOON



The sports comedy Goon stars Seann William Scott as Doug Glatt, a slacker from a rich family who discovers he has a knack for hockey brawls. Dragged to a game by his best friend, Doug punches out the visiting team's toughest player when the angered thug rushes into the stands. The home team quickly recruits Doug (even though he can't skate) and encourages him to beat up their opponents. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Director: Michael Dowse

Cast: Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Marc-André Grondin, Kim Coates, Liev Schreiber

Release Date: Mar 30, 2012

Rated R for brutal violence, non-stop language, some strong sexual content and drug
use

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Sports films in general have always been a tough sell for me, mainly because they all have to follow very similar trajectories ending in the big game. As a result, I’ve ignored more sports movies than I should have over the past few years. Luckily, I gave Goon a chance and was pleasantly surprised with it. The usual sports plot points are there (underdog team, change in fortunes and the big game) but Goon makes it all so much fun and even infuses some heart in the process. Feeling like a cross between Major League and Forrest Gump, Goon really hooks you in with its comedic side. As a comedy it works just as well as a hockey film. Seann William Scott makes it nearly impossible not to like the Doug’s dim but sincere self. Scott really shows us restraint in how he plays Doug; it would have been very easy to play him as a buffoon, so there’s some texture there. The only real downside is more script related as Doug seems to waver between not very bright to mentally challenged. The supporting cast is made up of fine actors, all doing well in small quirky roles which really give the film life. Marc-André Grondin in particular is interesting as the wonder kid burnout. Liev Schreiber however is incredibly impressive in a small but pivotal role. Schreiber really give his character an authentic look and feel. As a causal hockey fan, his character just felt real in so many ways. As a whole the film’s sports side feels real, credit for that really goes to the director Michael Dowse. One of my other pet peeves about sports movies is that the sports never feel real; in Goon the majority of the hockey is wonderfully staged and done. A fan of the sport will never be taken out of the experience which is so important in my opinion. Goon is very loosely adapted, (he ended up consulting for the NHL’s Bruins for 8 years after his playing days) from Doug Smith Book Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey Into Minor League Hockey.

B+