TRAP is the Best Film of the Year, Thus Far

Had Hitchcock lived and been as old as Shyamalan, he undoubtedly would have directed a movie similar to Trap

It is common for over 60% of so-called film critics to scrutinize any new M. Night Shyamalan movie that is released. The fact that Warner Brothers did not screen TRAP, Shyamalan's most recent original thriller, beforehand allowed those same critics to hone their critique skills. It appears that these so-called critics have become a clique and are overly pampered. They seem to have had their verified social media status taken. 

Whether they write for cheap blogs, magazines, or multi-platform publications, these same so-called critics are disparaging Shyamalan's film, calling it clumsy and ridiculous. These are also the same individuals who declare Marvel movies to be masterpieces. This is not a critique of tentpole films or Marvel movies in general, because even the worst of them are still beneficial to the box office economy. We've seen the positive aspects of that.

However, during the years, we have also been able to observe the beneficial characteristics of Shyamalan's work. Despite the fact that we live in a world where intellectual property is highly valued, Shyamalan has consistently produced, directed, and written distinctive films. It's okay to mention that I'm a Shyamalan fan because I respect Shyamalan's body of work and filmmaking capabilities. I respect the works of Paul Thomas Anderson, Tarantino, Nolan, and Fincher in the same way. Do they have perfection? Likely not, since nobody is flawless. But are we permitted to offer thoughtful, educated, and useful criticism of their movies? Absolutely.

As of right now, I haven't come across a single piece from these so-called critics that addresses Shyamalan's work's intellectual critique. I get no knowledge from their articles when I read them. Since a film critic's primary responsibility is to inform the reader, it is acceptable to critique a movie. I miss Roger Ebert because, in all of his film reviews, he never attempted to make fun of the movie or criticize the director.

Rather, Ebert gave the reader an education on the techniques involved in writing, filmmaking, etc. I can't, however, make the same claim about modern cinema critics. These days, when I read a movie review, the critic breaks down the movie scene by scene before making a small edit toward the conclusion to give the impression that their work is a well-informed critique. Not only that, but they harbor a personal animosity towards Shyamalan. Remember that the same folks who used to make fun of Shyamalan's last name a few years ago are also these so-called critics. I thought that journalism was not to take sides, have an agenda, or harbor personal hatred towards anyone. 

Was Trap enjoyable to me? Indeed. Does it come close to what Shyamalan produced with The Village, Unbreakable, Signs, and The Sixth Sense? No. However, Shyamalan has no intention of going back and doing what he's done in the past. He has never directed the same film twice. It's something about him that I like. It serves as motivation. In addition, he operates outside of the system. He continues with another original project after self-financing his own movie.

Beyond just being entertainment, a closer examination of a movie like Trap reveals a wealth of filmmaking expertise. Furthermore, Shyamalan isn't even using all of his creative potential. With barely an hour and forty-five minutes, it's simply a thriller. But as budding filmmakers, screenwriters, and critics, we can learn so much in those minutes. All of those close-ups and panning shots are admirable. Furthermore, Shyamalan challenges his actors to the utmost once again. 

In addition to Hartnett's outstanding performance, we also get to see Shyamalan's own daughter provide a good performance. This indicates that Shyamalan is an effective teacher and that his daughter comprehends the task. She not only composed original songs for the movie, but it was also her first time acting. Nothing about that seems stupid or silly to me. I'm not sure why some people think the third act of the movie is ridiculous. From my perspective, the movie's third act is its best part. Hartnett's portrayal of Norman Bates in Shyamalan's film is finally revealed to us. 

Had Hitchcock lived and been as old as Shyamalan, he undoubtedly would have directed a movie similar to Trap. Like Tarantino, Nolan, and Paul Thomas Anderson, Shyamalan shot Trap on film (35mm), which is risky and expensive. The team had to wait three days for the film to be processed and returned from a Los Angeles film laboratory in order to evaluate the material. This is why Shyamalan's approach to filmmaking is commendable. 

In all honesty, this year hasn't been great for movies, but fortunately for me, Shyamalan has made it a great one. Even though the new year is still a few months away, I can say with certainty that Trap is the best movie I've seen thus far.