Cooper (Josh Hartnett) seems like your ordinary, everyday guy. A firefighter and devoted dad, he takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue), to a pop concert in Philadelphia. Something’s slightly off about the whole thing, though, and he discovers that it’s an elaborate ploy by the FBI to catch a serial killer named “The Butcher.” That’s a big problem for Cooper because he’s The Butcher, and he’ll do anything to keep his double life a secret.
Director M. Night Shyamalan takes his irresistible premise and runs with it throughout Trap, placing Cooper in one tense situation after another as he tries to find a way to escape the intricate trap the authorities have set for him. Hartnett is effective as the charismatic killer, who always tries to do what’s best for his kid, even when he’s trying to kill people to get away. Coop may be a killer, but no one can convict him of being a bad dad.
