Josh Hartnett has unveiled the source of his inspiration for his new role as a serial killer.
Hartnett plays Cooper Adams, the lead character in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film, Trap. Shyamalan is renowned for movies such as Split, The Sixth Sense, Signs, and The Visit.
The film premiered in US theaters on Friday (August 2) and is set for release in the UK on August 9.
In Trap, Cooper, portrayed by Hartnett, is a serial killer who takes his daughter, played by Ariel Donoghue, to a concert.
However, Cooper soon discovers that an FBI sting operation is underway at the venue, aiming to apprehend a serial killer known as ‘The Butcher’ – who is none other than Cooper himself.
The plot of Trap is loosely inspired by a real sting operation carried out by the United States Marshals Service and the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington DC in December 1985, which led to the arrest of over 100 wanted criminals.
Reflecting on the dark nature of his character, Hartnett revealed that he drew from real-life encounters to embody Cooper’s mindset.
“There are a lot of CEOs, politicians, people in our business… a lot of people who are at the top,” he told Entertainment Weekly.
“They don’t mind stepping over people or doing horrible things to get where they’re going, and not having any empathy is a pretty big sign of being a psychopath.
“Whether or not you’re murdering people, I’ve met people like this, you know what I mean? So it was easy to take it all a step further, make it a little bolder, and make his cover so intense.”
Following Trap’s release in the US, reviews have started to come in.
At the time of writing, the film holds a 64 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
One reviewer wrote: “Edge of my seat the entire time. Really enjoyed this one, it was so different! Actors nailed it!”
Another reviewer praised: “Superb performances from the cast. The story kept my attention throughout. Not as many twists and surprises that you might expect from an M. Night Shyamalan flick but a solid story with decent character development. I was not disappointed!”
However, not all reviews were favorable.
One critic of Trap commented: “Predictable & a little on the cheesy side. Had potential to be good but just wasn’t. Disappointed.”
Another viewer remarked: “We solved the movie [in] the first 25 minutes.”
It’s evident that Trap has received a mixed bag of reactions so far…