Film Review – Trap House (2025)

      Trap House, 2025.

      Directed by Michael Dowse.

      Featuring Dave Bautista, Bobby Cannavale, Kate del Castillo, Jack Champion, Sophia Lillis, Whitney Peak, Tony Dalton, Inde Navarrette, Zaire Adams, and Blu del Barrio.

      SYNOPSIS:

      A DEA agent and his partner chase after thieves: their own rebellious teenagers, who have begun robbing the cartel using their parents' methods and classified intelligence.

      Director Michael Dowse’s Trap House squanders a potentially insightful socio-economic premise, as articulated in the screenplay by Gary Scott Thompson and Tom O’Connor, slowly degenerating into a typical thriller with predictable twists and tiresome character portrayals. The film starts with the implication of addressing the discouraging lack of support for those who sacrifice themselves for America, but rather uses this as a springboard for family and friendship drama amidst forgettable action scenes that drift away from the more intriguing themes.

      The narrative follows not only a group of DEA agents targeting cartel activities but also their teenagers, who have become close friends over time. They are aware of the dangerous jobs their fathers hold, yet this doesn't prevent them from dealing with their emotions humorously, discussing their dads much like any other kids their age would. The teenagers understand the situation’s reality, but it only becomes tangible when one father dies during a standard bust, leaving the family without financial support and forcing them to relocate far away, which disrupts the friend group.

      This tragedy leads Cody (Jack Champion), who already has a strained bond with his father, Ray (Dave Bautista, reliably strong even when the script falters), to grapple with challenging but vital questions about a job that shows little regard for life and offers no sustainable benefits for family members left behind. We recognize characters like Ray: to them, it’s just a job, albeit one they are passionate about.

      However, Trap House takes a refreshing turn by focusing on these teenagers (with performances from Sophia Lillis, Blu del Barrio, Whitney Peak, and others), following Cody as they devise a new plan to combat the cartel: stealing their money by breaking into various trap houses or robbing armored vehicles. Their intention is commendable—they want to secure enough funds for their friend's family to survive—and yet, it doesn’t ensure that Cody will stop while he’s ahead.

      As they are untrained teenagers, their methods rely on non-lethal weapons and inevitably become chaotic, leading to numerous close encounters. The stakes resonate during these moments, allowing for inventive spins on conventional action sequences. While this approach may come off as absurd, it's easy to take it seriously given the dynamics at play between parents, the unexpected rebellious teenagers, and the cartel, who are destined for a showdown.

      Unfortunately, the film also becomes bogged down by unnecessary subplots, such as Cody's budding romance with his new science lab partner Teresa (Inde Navarrette), his complaints about a father who is merely concerned for his well-being (Ray is not overly protective and generally reasonable), and the internal workings of the cartel as they attempt to identify their attackers. By spending time on these storylines, the film detracts from the compelling socio-economic discussions between father and son, becoming overly generic and preoccupied with clichés and predictable action sequences. Trap House ultimately confines its unique concepts in favor of trivial plotlines.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Robert Kojder