In the saturated world of horrors and thrillers, it's actually a bit refreshing that M. Night Shyamalan doesn't take himself too seriously. That's certainly the case with his latest film Trap.
As Mashable's reviewer Siddhant Adlakha put it, "The film's story is tightly wound around a dopey premise, but it's also buoyed by incredible heart and soul, and seldom slows down while twisting every possible screw."
Starring Josh Hartnett in a "fine-tuned, operatic performance," Trap is a psychological thriller at its core. If you're looking for something a bit different than a typical jump-scare supernatural story or slasher film, it's "an absolute blast."
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Trap at home, including the official streaming release date and the best Max streaming deals.
What is Trap about?
Shyamalan's latest follows Philadelphia firefighter Cooper (Josh Hartnett) as he accompanies his teen daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert by pop star Lady Raven (Shyamalan's own daughter Saleka). He notices a major police presence at the venue and soon realizes the performance is actually an elaborate trap to catch a serial killer expected to be in attendance. Worse, the serial killer they're trying to catch is him.
Check out the official trailer for a sneak peek:
Is Trap worth watching?
Critics and audiences alike have mixed reviews, with Trap clocking in at a 57 percent critic rating and 65 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing. As far as Shyamalan movies go, that falls comfortably in the middle. It's no The Sixth Sense or Signs, but it's also not The Happening.
Mashable's reviewer had overwhelmingly positive things to say about it. "Trap is wonderfully good. It might even be great. And if it's not attuned to your sensibilities, chances are, you'll have a hoot of a time regardless," he wrote.
Sure, it hasn't set the box office on fire, but it's still a fun watch this spooky season.
How to watch Trap at home
Less than a month after Trap made its theatrical debut, it became available to watch at home via video-on-demand services like Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Fandango at Home (Vudu). You can purchase the film for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days. Remember, once you start watching a rental, you'll only have 48 hours to finish it before losing access. If you'd rather stream Trap instead, scroll to learn more.
As of Aug. 30, you can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:
Prime Video — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
Apple TV — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
Google Play — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
Is Trap streaming?
M. Night Shyamalan's Trap makes its streaming debut on Max on Oct. 25. As a Warner Bros. film, it will join other recent theatrical releases from the studio on the streaming service, including Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, The Watchers, and Dune: Part Two.
Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are some ways you can save money on your plan. Check out the best Max streaming deals below.
Best Max streaming deal for most people: Save 16% on Max With Ads
Don't mind ads? A Max subscription will only run you $9.99 per month. For the simplest way to watch Trap, you can sign up for a single month of service and cancel before you're charged for another. Alternatively, you could stick around for the long haul and save on your subscription. An annual plan with ads will run you $99.99 per year, which breaks down to just $8.33 per month. That's a savings of 16% compared to the monthly plan. The only downside? You have to pay for the full year upfront.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save 16% on Max Ad-Free
If you're anti-ads, there are two different tiers you can choose from: Max Ad-Free and Max Ultimate Ad-Free. The basic Max Ad-Free tier will run you $16.99 per month, while Max Ultimate goes for $20.99 per month. We recommend choosing a yearly plan instead, however, as you'll save 16%. It'll only cost you $169.99 per year (about $14.17 per month) for Max Ad-Free or $209.99 per year (about $17.50 per month) for Max Ultimate.
Note: Both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, but the Ultimate tier takes things a step further with 4K Ultra HD video quality and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max With Ads for customers on $60/month unlimited plan
Cricket customers on the $60 per month unlimited plan can sign up for Max With Ads for free. That's a $99.99 per year value for nada. Just do yourself a favor and head over to the Max app (or navigate to Max.com), choose Cricket as your provider, and enter your credentials to log in. Then, you're free to watch whatever you want, whenever you want — including Trap. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more. If you want to watch Trap for free online or at home, this is currently your only option.
Best Max deal for students: Save 50% on Max With Ads
College students can get 50% off an ad-supported monthly subscription to Max for 12 months. That drops the price down to just $4.99 per month instead of $9.99. You'll just have to verify your student status with UNiDAYS, which will give you a unique discount code, then head back over to Max and redeem it.
Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for 38% off
It may not be your cheapest option, but you can get the most bang for your buck in the long run with the latest streaming bundle deal — especially if you already subscribe to Hulu or Disney+. The bundle offers access to Max, Hulu, and Disney+ With Ads for only $16.99 (reg. $25.97) per month or Ad-Free for $29.99 (reg. $48.97) per month, which is up to 38% in savings.
