Terror Trap (2010)

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Lean, mean, derivative variation on (well, it directly lifts everything from) Vacancy, has a married couple on the outs who are trying to rekindle the little flame still lit (played by a very likable David James Elliot, of JAG fame and a feisty, mouthy little number, Heather Marie Marsden) is left in their marriage. They are the unfortunate example of "passing through the wrong neck of the woods at the wrong time" kind of horror movie cliché, and a car purposely hits them so the couple will have to stay at a nearby fleabag motel at the insistence of Sheriff Jeff Fahey (his performance is actually inspired; he just fits perfectly into his role, suitable for the kind of growly, hick, trailer park "officer of the law" this requires). Supposedly, Fahey is the "whole law" of whatever Louisiana backwater town this film sets itself, but when a police officer arrives where James and Marsden were wrecked, and no car is there to be found, we realize that he's more or less a fiction rather than any sort of authentic sheriff no matter how he carries himself.What I liked was that James is established as an ex-Marine, so when he starts succeeding in hand-to-hand combats and isn't someone who goes down easily, it isn't far-fetched. Plus, because he isn't a scumbag, it isn't too hard to side with him, while Heather's Nancy (considered by many viewers to be a cipher) isn't some bargain-basement weak damsel-in-distress type. She's got fire, and James may appear to be an easy target, he's tough, too. Michael Masden, as the owner of the motel, Royal Vista, is pretty much worthless. He spends his time in one room, and he's ridiculously out of place. He looks like some sort of Vegas gangster. The killers dress in tribal masks and Michael Myers-style work suits. They service the film as disposable victims for James, although there just isn't enough real tense action on screen, nor is the violence all that potent. Much more is implied than shown. Masden's part is truthfully a pathetic joke that could have been written out almost entirely. He is used to sale and rent the film out to unsuspecting victims, his face on the cover promising far more than is delivered.Fahey is the show here. Just not enough in Terror Trap to satiate the intended audience. What is established is if you cross Masden or are no longer worth his time, you're toast. Opening scene with the delicious female with her blouse unbuttoned, laying eyes opened but dead, is a grabber. The couple might be defined mostly at the beginning, with a majority of the film having them go out of their room, only to be forced into another for their own safety, as the addicted eyes of twisted onlookers stare at screens showing them the action, but they aren't just absolute clichés which helps give a crap about them.

Hostel meets Vacancy in this cheap little knock-off. A couple's car is run off the road and a creepy town sheriff leaves them at a motel. This motel is actually a place where snuff videos are made and people come and sit and watch horrific acts being performed on the unsuspecting visitors. The film doesn't bog itself down with satire concerning business and violence, though it is mentioned. The big problem is that the horrible acts start in the middle of an argument between the protagonists. This means we're never truly on their side, though their actions do go some-ways to expressing their feelings for each other. Madsen just sits in a room for an easy cheque and Fahey overdoes creepy without ever being threatening. He just shouts. It isn't completely awful, but it's never scary or tense. However, the end is completely head scratching as it contains a scene that just doesn't add up to anything.

"Well, it'll be an interesting evening." After a hit and run accident Don (Elliot) and Nancy are left stranded in the middle of nowhere. After the local sheriff gives them a ride to a motel run by Carter (Madsen) they soon realize that this is not the safest place for them to be. This movie started off really good, you feel tense when the cop talks to the passengers and really pull for the strangers. Then after the 20 min mark the movie starts to fall apart and drag on, and on, and on. Think "Vacency" without the horror and excitement. There are a lot of aspects they introduce that seem to go nowhere, and the ones that do aren't exciting enough to follow. I do like Michael Madsen (who doesn't like "Reservoir Dogs") but his last few movies have been bad, like Val Kilmer bad, and I hope that he will once again start making real movies. Overall, this movie was much better when it was called "Vacency". I give it a C-.Would I watch again? - Nope.*Also Try - Vacency 1 & 2

They should've sold this script as Vacancy 3. A couple who are having marital problems are involved in a crash on a deserted highway in the middle of nowhere. The other driver takes off. Cue the creepy Sheriff (Jeff Fahey) who recommends staying at a dodgy motel up the road until they can arrange a tow. Cue the creepy guy behind the counter who don't much like them city folk. Break out the guys in masks, the disturbance in the room next door, the loud banging, the awful realisation that they're being watched and then introduce the sicko's who are viewing this snuff for their own sick pleasure. The only differences between Terror Trap and Vacancy are the use of a sinister Sheriff as opposed to a smiley Gas Station Attendant and the fact that the snuff customers are watching a live feed of the mayhem as opposed to buying the videos.Cue Michael Madsen as the dude in charge. I'm a huge Tarantino fan and I have oodles of respect for Michael Madsen, but someone seriously needs to tell that guy to stop playing Mr Blonde in every movie. Whether he's playing a good guy or bad guy, his persona is always the same. Although, he was quite different when he played the lovable cat burglar in Heart and Souls. Wait a minute... that was Tom Sizemore.I have a newfound appreciation for Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale's performances in Vacancy. I couldn't bring myself to care even slightly about the main couple. The woman, Nancy, is the most unlikeable heroin I've seen for a long time. About 10 minutes into the movie I started preying for her to get brutally slashed to death, just to shut her up.The only reason I made it to the end of this film is because it hadn't been reviewed on IMDb yet. That's how bored I was. My review is quite generous. Save yourself!Check out my IMDb List for some better suggestions. "HORROR/THRILLER: Obscure, Overlooked & Underrated" http://www.imdb.com/list/8QFZ78e4Ar8/