Mikes Film Talk

The 2024 horror film The Devil’s Trap feels a little like 2009 film The Hole meets 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby. There is a little of 2005’s The Skeleton Key as well. Although in The Skeleton Key none of the characters were likable. Therefore, no one cared what happened to them. At least here we care for the two kids. *Side note, Bruce Dern is in both the 2009 film and this 2024 offering. Both horror films, in the first he has a cameo, in the second, he is the lead.*

It may well be that Dern’s presence in both films brought about the similar feeling. Although it has more to do with finding something horrid rather than his characters in each film.

The Devil’s Trap Story

A young man; Billy, is paralyzed after an operation. He is hospitalized and his roommate is Mr Coen. Coen is dying from cancer. Heather, Billy’s sister visits him constantly. Meanwhile, something evil is invading the hospital.

The Cast

Bruce Dern is Mr Coen.

Michael Paré is Father Gestas.

Richard Grieco is James.

Cortney Palm is Mother.

Elissa Dowling is Vanessa.

Nick Davi is Billy.

Sofia Nistratova is Heather.

Kudos to Kamilo Alonzo as the little boy. This young actor really sells it here.

Let’s Talk The Devil’s Trap

Director/Co-Writer Alexander Nistratov gives us a mix and match tale here. *Michael Caissie is the other writer on the film.* Things are pretty much signposted, but the film works.Although, we never really believe that the grizzled old Coen has a kindly bone in his body. This is no fault of Dern’s, it is the way the character has been written. Dern is just delivering hand over fist.

At no time do we feel that Father Gestas is a priest of good standing. He comes across as being dodgy as hell. (An apt, description by the way.) Michael Paré seems to specialize in these odd roles. He does them very well and convinces.

Davi and Nistratova work well as a double act. Their brother/sister dynamic feels right.

Those Dreams

Billy’s dreams are not a new tact. These have been in other horror films, the aforementioned Rosemary’s Baby is one example. Although to be fair, those were drug induced.

It is these dreams, and their purpose, that leads us to The Skeleton Key comparison. *And to a degree, 2017’s Get Out and if you’ve seen these films, you know the twist.*

It Does Work

The sense of foreboding. All the weird occurances, the deaths, et al, make us aware that, as James says, “This place is very wrong.” So wrong, in fact, that we’re pretty sure we know what is really going on. By the time the punchline is dropped, we are not surprised.

For all that, the film works. It makes us uneasy and a little weirded out. If you haven’t felt that before the end, wait for that “punchline” we mentioned.

The Verdict

The Devil’s Trap is a solid 3.5 star film. There really is nothing new here, but Nistratov wraps things up in a variation of a theme. It works. The film is streaming on Tubi right now.

The Trailer