Trap House

Trap House was good. The dynamic between the friends felt organic and believable. The plot was somewhat predictable, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. Certain scenes had me on the edge of my seat. Overall, I would still recommend this movie for a watch.

There’s no trick here: the film knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to hide it. Straightforward action, gunfire, chases, a clearly juvenile tone, and a story that moves forward without stopping too much to think about whether everything makes sense or not. And, oddly enough, that honesty works in its favor. It doesn’t aspire to be smarter than it is, nor to disguise its seams.Everything revolves around Dave Bautista, who once again delivers sheer physical presence. It’s not the most complex role of his career, and it doesn’t need to be. His charisma and the way he fills the screen carry much of the runtime, even when the script starts repeating ideas or leaning heavily on well-worn clichés of action cinema involving cartels, special forces, and young people in over their **** pacing is one of its strongest points. It doesn’t linger, it doesn’t turn solemn, and it doesn’t get lost in unnecessary subplots. It goes straight to the point most of the time, which makes many of its implausibilities easy to accept. When there’s no time to think, there’s also no time to question too much of what you’re **** problem arises when it tries to mix tones. At times it feels like it wants to be a carefree teenage adventure, and at others it turns serious, violent, even dark. That combination doesn’t always fit, leaving the sense that the film never fully decides what kind of story it wants to tell. It doesn’t break it, but it does make it somewhat uneven.Narratively, it’s very basic. There are no real surprises or twists that change the game. Everything works through the accumulation of action scenes and the energy of its lead. If you’re looking for depth, nuance, or something that lingers afterward, you won’t find it here. This is fast consumption, almost late-night video-store fare.Overall, it’s an entertaining, occasionally effective, and clearly forgettable film. It works as uncomplicated action filler, goes down easily, and little more. It doesn’t deceive, it doesn’t promise anything it won’t deliver, and it leans on its star to get by. Sometimes, that’s enough.

"Trap House" is a fun enough time worth watching, but it traps its star and doesn't let him out. Amazingly, very little of this film is played for laughs, except of the unintentional variety.