M. Night Shyamalan’s 2024 psychological thriller,Trap, is now streaming on Netflix, which means audiences may want to watch these other Netflix entries soon after for the same edge-of-your-seat experience.Traporiginally premiered in early August 2024 to positive and mixed reviews. The moviestars Josh Hartnettas Cooper, a loving father who brings his daughter to a pop concert. While there, he discovers that the event is a trap for a serial killer who is on the run. Soon enough,audiences realize that the killer is Cooper himself, and he’s running out of timeto escape.
Trapearned a less-than-stellar Rotten Tomatoes scorefrom critics, who gave the film a 57%. Reviewers liked Shyamalan’s concept, but were left wanting more from the dialogue, the climax, and the story itself. Meanwhile, audiences were much more satisfied, with a 65%, praising the film’s entertainment value, even despite its cheesier moments. Overall,Trapis a movie that wants audiences to feel stressed throughout, and if you are someone who enjoys that high-octane feeling, the following five movies are perfect to watch afterTrap.
One exciting element ofTrapis the fact that it takes place over the course of a single day, where every passing hour only increases in tension and danger. Those who want another movie that follows this format should check outThe Guiltyon Netflix. This movie centers ona police detective who is demoted to be a 911 operator, yet must dust off his old skills after getting a particularly horrifying distress call. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Riley Keough, Ethan Hawke, and Paul Dano.
In many ways,The GuiltyandTrapare like two sides of the same coin. WhereTrapfollows a secret killer trying not to get caught,The Guiltyis about a somewhat secret detective who wants to catch a bad guy. Both movies are fast-paced and only get more extreme the longer they go on. Plus, with every scene,audiences must attempt to put all the pieces together to see the larger puzzle at play - which may be far more revealingthan anyone could have expected.
Another psychological thriller withan unexpected twist likeTrapisDon’t Move.Released just a few months afterTrap,this movie follows a young woman who is targeted by a killer. He injects her with a paralyzing agent that will prevent her from moving and allow him to carry out her murder more easily. Yet, not willing to give up on survival,the woman attempts to outrun her attacker before the drug can set in. Kelsey Abille and Finn Wittrock star.
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Don’t Move’splot is fairly simple, but its twist makes it doubly entertaining. Just like inTrap,there is a sense that the protagonist has to race against time to get what they want. Of course, unlike Cooper, audiences will wantDon’t Move’smain character to survive. On top of that,Don’t Moveis similar toTrapbecause it attempts to go about the crime thriller genre in a totally new and unexpected way.
Trapis not afraid to be a bit campy and strange throughout, and another psychological thriller on Netflix thatramps up the humor isThe Menu.It revolves around a couple who attend a dinner at a world-famous restaurant, set on an isolated island. Expecting a night of wealth and good cuisine,the pair are shocked when they discover that they, and their peers, are all destined to be dead by the end of the evening.The Menufeatures Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, and Ralph Fiennes.
To be fair,The Menugoes way further thanTrapdoes in terms of absurdity. However, this is what makes the movie so refreshing and gripping to watch. Just likeTrap,audiences have no idea what is going to come next, and at a certain point, have to expect the worst. Additionally,some characters inThe Menuare just as shockingly psychopathic as Cooper is, which only raises the stakes even higher. Overall,The Menuis witty, ridiculous, and an interesting look at privilege.
On a deeper level,Trapconsiders the idea that someone you love may end up being different from who they say they are. Another Netflix movie that explores this idea is 2018’sThe Clovehitch Killer.In this film, a teenage boy discovers a hidden stash of terrifying photos among his father’s things. Slowly,he begins to realize that his dad may be behind a series of brutal killings, and worse, he may not let his son get away with this revelation.
Arguably,The Clovehitch Killerdoesn’t get enough attention among Netflix’s horror entries, so now is the perfect time to finally pick it up.
The Clovehitch Killeris a compelling film that verges more on horror than thriller.In a similar sense asTrap, The Clovehitch Killerhinges on a central question: what is the protagonist going to do? Ultimately, this keeps viewers gripped from start to finish as the film intensifies the dread and the consequences. Arguably,The Clovehitch Killerdoesn’t get enough attention among Netflix’s horror entries, so now is the perfect time to finally pick it up.
Last but not least, there isWatchers.Directed byShyamalan’s daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan, this movie followsa young woman who finds herself stranded in an isolated forestamong strangers. Over time, she learns that she and her peers are being watched by nocturnal creatures, and that escape is nearly impossible. From there, secrets begin to come to light.
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Watchersis a perfect movie to watch afterTrapbecauseIshana Night Shyamalan perfectly embodies the style of her father. Even thoughWatchers’premise is totally different from that ofTrap,both movies succeed at building the same tense atmosphere. These movies have twists and turns galore, and are eager to shock their viewers. Thus, those who lovedTrapmay find exactly what they’re looking for inWatchers.
