M. Night Shyamalan’s newest feature, Trap, has a simple enough premise, albeit one that asks for a decent suspension of disbelief: a notorious serial killer is trapped at a concert while the FBI tries to catch him. But what elevates the movie into a genuinely suspenseful and truly clever film is Shyamalan’s audacious screenplay and Josh Hartnett’s fiendishly charming killer.

The film stars Hartnett as Cooper, a loving father and firefighter, taking his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to see her favorite musician, Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan). Soon after arriving, though, Cooper quickly realizes something is wrong as there appears to be an unusually high number of police assembled in the venue. He soon discovers why after meeting Jamie (Jonathan Langdon), a merch salesman working the concert. The entire event is a trap to catch “The Butcher,” which the film reveals right away is actually Cooper. Normally, a twist like that would be the big reveal of any other thriller, but this is Shyamalan we’re talking about.

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With the reveal already out of the way, the film puts the viewer in the head of Cooper as he tries to outsmart the FBI and their lead profiler, played by Hayley Mills. By no means should anyone want a serial killer to escape this trap, but the sheer audacity with which Hartnett’s Butcher tackles the task at hand leaves you on the edge of your seat. The moment you think he’s finally done for and there’s no way out, whether it be willpower or pure luck, the obstacles fall away for Cooper, and you’re left equal parts impressed and horrified.

Now, considering all that, some may be left a bit apprehensive about how Hartnett’s Cooper continually outsmarts his potential captors. So, the story does require the audience to put aside a fair bit of skepticism. As mentioned previously, the movie puts you in Cooper’s perspective. He doesn’t overthink why his plans seem to be working, so neither should you. Shyamalan gets you so engrossed in the story it becomes more than easy to suspend disbelief in the critical moments that count.

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But enough about Cooper’s circumstances, the highlight of the film is the star behind the character. Hartnett delivers a thoroughly entertaining performance that skirts the line between charming and sinister. Serial killers are often described as dangerously charismatic, and that’s what Hartnett channels in the character. He makes it easy to get drawn into his performance to the point that you almost even hope he gets out of it. However, I need to put emphasis on the almost part of it— because it’s the moments he dips into the damaged nature of his character that takes Trap to another, more uncomfortable level. It is a carefully considered performance, and the subtle shifts between his two personas, the loving father and the dangerous killer, make this one of Hartnett’s best roles.

In the hands of other filmmakers, the movie would feel like a paint-by-numbers thriller, but Shyamalan’s ability to make you expect the unexpected and then still surprise you makes Trap work. The path he lays ahead for Cooper is filled with twists and turns and more than one red herring, leaving audiences anxiously watching to see what’s next in store for our sinister protagonist. While Hartnett takes it all in stride, leading us through the maze, but always one step ahead.– Jacob Campbell

Rating: 8/10

M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap is now in theaters.