Yes, with a clear qualifier. Trap is a watchable but uneven thriller that works best if you enjoy Josh Hartnett’s committed lead performance and M. Night Shyamalan’s heightened, darkly comic style. If you want a plausible, conventionally scary thriller, it is likely to frustrate you. This assessment synthesizes published critical reviews; it is not based on a firsthand screening by this site.
What Trap is
- A 2024 Warner Bros. film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
- Listed by Apple TV as a thriller/horror film with a runtime of 1 hour 45 minutes and a PG-13 rating for some violent content and brief strong language.
- Josh Hartnett plays Cooper, a father who takes his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert by the pop star Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan). The concert is also part of a police operation to catch a serial killer known as the Butcher.
The premise has a historical root, though not a direct one. Netflix’s Tudum article says the film is not based on a true story but that its plot was partly inspired by Operation Flagship, a 1985 sting conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service and Washington, D.C., police. Netflix’s account says that operation resulted in 101 arrests. That figure comes from Netflix’s article, not from the film or its director.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![Trap [Blu-ray] [2024]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41IIrg+dsRL._SL160_.jpg)
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Trap [Blu-ray] [2024] | $17.76 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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The Boogens | $12.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Three | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Most of the film’s pull comes from how it keeps the audience uncertain about Cooper. That is also where the reviews diverge most.
What “most divisive of 2024 so far” can and cannot mean
The headline’s ranking language needs care. When accessed on October 8, 2026, the Rotten Tomatoes panel embedded on Apple TV showed 57% from 249 reviews (142 fresh, 107 rotten). That is a snapshot of one aggregator’s review pool, and the number changes as reviews are added. It shows a split reception. It does not establish that Trap was the most divisive film released in 2024.
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#1 Best Overall
The defensible version of the claim comes from Rotten Tomatoes’ roundup of early reviews, which described the reaction to the film as divisive. Treat “so far” as a 2024 framing rather than a current ranking.
Where critics split
What works
- Hartnett’s performance. Reviewers credit him with making Cooper’s shifts between awkward father and calculating killer compelling.
- Intentional-seeming dark comedy. Some critics read the film’s tonal oddness as deliberate comedy rather than a misstep.
- Early tension. Shyamalan’s set-up builds suspense, especially in the opening stretch.
- A straightforward premise. Some reviewers praised the simple hook, the entertainment value, and the humor.
What doesn’t
- Strained plotting. Several critics found the logic hard to accept, and the script’s later turns can lose force.
- Tonal friction. A viewer expecting a conventional horror thriller may find the mix of suspense, absurdity, and comedy disruptive.
- The family theme. The Atlantic found the parent-child story underdeveloped beside the suspense plot.
Four questions that decide your experience
These are the axes that recur across the reviews. They are not a claim that every viewer weighs them the same way.
Rank #2
| Question | Favorable reading | Skeptical reading |
|---|---|---|
| Does Hartnett carry the film? | His shifts between father and killer are compelling | The performance cannot fully offset the script’s weaker turns |
| Is the comedy intentional? | The absurdity reads as deliberate dark comedy | The humor undercuts the suspense |
| Can you accept implausible plotting? | The heightened logic is part of the fun | The plot strains credibility |
| Does the family theme land? | The father-daughter story adds emotional stakes | The theme is underdeveloped next to the thriller plot |
Who should watch it
| Viewer | Likely fit |
|---|---|
| Fans of Hartnett’s committed lead work | Good fit |
| Viewers who enjoy Shyamalan’s heightened, darkly comic tone | Good fit |
| Viewers who want a short, watchable genre film (1 hour 45 minutes) | Good fit |
| Viewers who want a plausible, conventionally scary thriller | Poor fit |
| Viewers who want a strong family drama | Mixed; reviewers found the family theme underdeveloped |
Where to watch and buy
Availability varies by region and changes over time, so confirm your market before you plan to watch. Netflix’s Tudum article describes the film as streaming on Netflix in the U.S. Hulu’s U.S. page presents HBO Max access as an add-on subject to service terms.
| Format | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Digital purchase or rental | August 30, 2024 | From a Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announcement dated August 23, 2024, as reproduced in a press report |
| 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD | November 5, 2024 (scheduled) | The 4K UHD and Blu-ray editions include “Setting the Trap: A New M. Night Shyamalan Experience” and “Saleka as Lady Raven” |
At the time of checking, Amazon listed DVD and Blu-ray purchase options. Stock, format, and price change, so confirm the exact edition before ordering.
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Trap is worth watching if you accept its tonal risks. Hartnett’s performance and the film’s dark comedy give it more life than its logic does. It is a poor choice if plausibility is the price of admission.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
