Nearly two years after its theatrical release, M. Night Shyamalan's divisive horror thriller Trap is proving that streaming can be a second act for even the most polarizing films. Starring Josh Hartnett as a doting father with a dark secret, the movie has climbed to #6 on Netflix's global Top 10 Movies chart, nestled between Jennifer's Body and Mechanic: Resurrection. This resurgence highlights how a film that earned mixed reviews can still captivate audiences when it lands on the right platform.
Released in 2024, Trap grossed over $83.6 million worldwide—nearly three times its reported budget—but critics and fans were split. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 56% critics' score and a 64% audience rating, while CinemaScore gave it a C+ and Letterboxd users rated it 2.6 stars. Despite the lukewarm reception, the film has become a sleeper hit, even earning a parody on The Simpsons. Now, its Netflix debut in May 2026 is introducing it to a fresh wave of viewers.
What Is 'Trap' About?
The story follows Cooper Abbott (Hartnett), a seemingly ordinary father who takes his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert by pop sensation Lady Raven, played by Shyamalan's own daughter, Saleka Night Shyamalan. But the event is a sting operation: police believe a serial killer known as "The Butcher" is in the audience. As Cooper navigates the concert, the tension escalates, revealing that the trap is more layered than it appears. The film blends Shyamalan's signature twists with a concert-movie aesthetic, but not everyone was sold on the execution.
Critical Reception: A Mixed Bag
Reviewers praised Hartnett's performance as the film's standout element. Collider's Ross Bonaime gave Trap a 5/10, noting that Hartnett excels as a loving father who's also a cold-blooded killer, but Shyamalan struggles to "build the tension" the story demands. ScreenRant acknowledged the film's solid structure but said it loses focus on its core premise—catching a killer. CBR went further, calling Hartnett's character "the only one with dimensionality" and criticizing the movie for feeling rigged in Cooper's favor, while also suggesting it was designed to showcase Saleka Shyamalan's music career. Patrice Witherspoon also took issue with the ending, leaving some viewers unsatisfied.
For those who enjoy psychological thrillers with a twist, Trap might still be worth a watch. If you're in the mood for more mind-bending stories, check out our list of the best sci-fi psychological thrillers ranked. And for fans of intense horror, A24's catalog offers plenty of scares—see our roundup of A24's scariest horror movies that will haunt your nightmares.
Streaming Success and What's Next
The film's Netflix resurgence is a testament to the power of streaming platforms to revive interest in underappreciated titles. Trap is also available on HBO Max, giving viewers multiple options to catch Hartnett's chilling performance. As of May 2026, it's one of the most-watched movies on Netflix globally, proving that even a polarizing Shyamalan film can find its audience over time. For more streaming picks, don't miss our guide to 3 must-stream Netflix movies for the week of May 11.
Whether you're a Shyamalan completist or just curious about Hartnett's return to horror, Trap offers a unique blend of concert spectacle and serial-killer suspense. It may not be the director's finest hour, but its streaming success shows that sometimes a film just needs the right platform to thrive.
