Trap (in theaters)

Josh Hartnett and M. Night Shyamalan both owe each other a lot.

Though he’s continued to work steadily, it’s been years since Hartnett was given the chance to show off his range of talents as an actor. Shyamalan gives him exactly that in “Trap,” a locked-stadium thriller that requires Hartnett to be two people at once. Hartnett pays Shyamalan back by delivering such a gripping, chilling performance that it elevates everything going on around him. This is Shyamalan’s scariest movie in years, and a big part of that is coming straight from Hartnett.

The movie starts with a father (Hartnett) reluctantly taking his daughter to a pop star’s concert, only to notice law enforcement infiltrating the stadium. The trailers spoil the initial twist that Hartnett’s character is also a prolific serial killer, and that he’s the target of the extensive police manhunt closing in. Can he evade arrest without blowing up his alternate life?

Just like a lot of Shyamalan’s movies, “Trap” does have its issues. Though M. Night’s daughter Saleka is perfectly fine as the pop star, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the movie partly exists to try and kick off a real-life career for her. The dialogue also falls flat at times, and some of the editing choices are absolutely baffling.

But when Hartnett is on screen, it’s easy to ignore all of that. His Butcher is absolutely terrifying, and yet his cover as Cooper the suburban husband and father also somehow feels believable. The tension between the two adds to the drama, and simply watching the cracks appear in Cooper is nerve-wracking. Shyamalan wisely gives him plenty of room to work, utilizing closeups at exactly the right moments.

Hopefully, he can get him back for his next film.

Grade: Two and a half stars

Skywalkers: A Love Story (Netflix)

While this is technically a documentary, it’s probably best to think of it as a romance with incredibly cool cinematography. 

“Skywalkers: A Love Story” is the oddly sweet, beautifully shot story of two daredevils who sneak their way up to the top of skyscrapers and get pictures for social media. Though the entire thing has some of the artificial quality you always get from social media stars who have learned to package their lives for content, there are just enough tender moments woven throughout to keep you invested in the love story. Even if romance isn’t your thing, the photos and videos from their dramatic climbs are all absolutely dazzling.  

Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, both part of a recent generation of daredevil Russian climbers, are both drawn to dangerous heights for a variety of reasons. Though they initially team up to interest sponsors, the duo grow closer as they climb and slowly fall in love. When COVID shakes up the life they’ve built together, they decide to defy the law and try to save their relationship by trying to climb the world’s last mega skyscraper. 

A lot of the background content was initially filmed to be posted on social media, but it’s often the gaps and juxtapositions of the available material that’s the most fascinating. Narration gives context to inner thoughts in old video, and a brief breakup is oddly believable because there’s no video about it at all. It gives us some sense of what chases these people into the sky, but also what makes them come down again. 

Grade: Three stars

Jenniffer Wardell is an award-winning movie critic and member of the Utah Film Critics Association. Find her on Twitter at @wardellwriter or drop her a line at [email protected].