A Trap Of Plot Conveniences | What Writers Can Learn From Trap (2024)

Spoiler warning for Trap (2024)! If you haven't seen it yet, bookmark this post and come back once you've given it a watch!

via Wikipedia

One of the greatest challenges writers face is getting their characters from Point A to Point B. That's why a lot of us, myself included, struggle with writing the middle sections of our books.

The beginning may be super clear to us, and we may know where we want things to end up. Getting there is the tricky part.

Sometimes, the solutions we come up with are contrivances that wouldn't necessarily pan out that way in real life. As CinemaSins might say, your characters just "accidentally their way out" of their situation. But, hey, it's fiction. And we need to keep things flowing somehow.

Readers may be generally forgiving of these shortcuts. Suspension of belief is a marvelous thing. However, too many instances of characters having the best possible luck may lead to some head-scratching and eye-rolling.

This is what turned a recent watch of mine, Trap, into more of a comedy than a thriller. It was good, but it could have been great.

Released in 2024 and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap follows Cooper as he takes his tween daughter to a pop concert. The thing is, Cooper lives a double life as The Butcher, a serial killer with twelve known victims under his belt and a thirteenth locked away. Little does he know, this surprise matinee concert is all a trap to catch him.

I went into Trap pretty blind, having only seen one trailer for it a while back but not remembering much of it. I expected it to be more like The Belko Experiment somehow, with concert-goers being locked inside the venue and maybe the light-up bracelets injecting poison into their body in the event they don't pass a test or break a rule like in the Danganronpa Future Arc anime. That's not a bad thing, of course, as it was still a fun watch.

I got a solid chuckle out of the opening scenes because, let's face it, I'm basically Riley at every concert I've ever attended. As my mom would have to tell me every time, they're not going to get on stage sooner because you're there earlier. And watching Cooper scope out the venue reminded me so much of her; her seeing the security detail forming a human chain at a New Kids On The Block show was the reason she shoved me in front of a platform in time to high-five Joey McIntyre (and not to brag, but I also managed to catch a rose from Boyz II Men that night thanks to my own reflexes).

But the thing that got me laughing about Trap more than anything was how easily Cooper evades the FBI. His craftiness is established early on, but there's a point that he was getting away with too much for me to take it seriously.

But, more importantly, it felt like the stakes were lowered. Kind of like how you know that somehow, whatever Phineas and Ferb are up to is going to magically vanish right before Candace can show their mom, Cooper was somehow going to yes, and his way out of it because the universe drops another MacGuffin in his lap.

In this post, I'll be detailing some of the contrivances throughout Trap that collectively made the film less and less believable, as well as a few tips to keep your own story from falling into the same trap of plot conveniences.

But first, let's address these problems in a broader sense and how too many plot conveniences can impact your audience's experience with your own story.

Lessened Stakes

All of my favorite moments throughout Trap involved Cooper's quick thinking and narrowly avoiding being caught by the FBI. Snatching one of their radios so he can listen in on their communications and stay two steps ahead. Sidestepping his original plan to set off the fire alarm and instead tampering with a deep fryer because he needs a less-predictable distraction and fast.

As a viewer, we know from the jump that the FBI is hot on his trail. And even though he's a serial killer, we want to see him escape this trap laid out for him. Not knowing if or how he'd succeed is what kept it interesting.

The same can be said for any work of fiction. Even when they're clad in a layer of plot armor, it's always a more rewarding read or watch when we don't know for sure that they'll make it out of whatever scrape they've gotten into. It makes it harder to get invested.

Plot conveniences are a detriment to that suspense. There isn't anything to keep us guessing because we know the character will be handed an escape route or a solution on a silver platter. We don't get to see the character work through a problem because they're not given a chance to struggle and figure things out.

Shattered Immersion

Suspension of disbelief means readers are more or less willing to accept the conditions of the story's world even though it differs from real-world expectations. Things like an annual government-sanctioned killing spree for the good of nationwide morale or an injectible substance that allows you to create a better, younger copy of yourself are (at least at the time of writing) not real, but we as the audience are willing to accept both as reality within The Purge or The Substance and understand that that's how things operate within the confines of the story.

However, even when you've got magic systems in play, straying from the established logic can result in glaring plot holes your readers cannot look past.

If you remember my post about Telltale's The Walking Dead series's final episode, you know my main gripe with the ending was the fact Clem survived being bitten. From a story perspective, the way she'd taken on a mentor and motherly role for AJ the way Lee had been a father figure for her in Season One, and with so many other callback moments from her outfit resembling Lee's to the saltlick encounter, her death would have been a full-circle moment. And given what we know about the way zombie bites work within the established canon of The Walking Dead, Clem shouldn't have made it even with AJ amputating her leg. I like Clem as much as anyone, but her surviving was a plot convenience going against the lore and rules of the world, and that made it harder for me to soak up the emotional impact of her appearing in the final scene.

When the conveniences start piling up, positive or negative, it can diminish the feeling of realism and cause your audience to question how and why things work instead of immersing themselves in the story and engaging with the narrative.

A Lack Of Agency

A key factor that determines how well a story lands and sticks with its audience is its characters. Seeing their struggles can resonate and inspire us once they rise above it. The potential consequences of a poor decision can make things more intense and add depth, as these conflicts often become lessons that force these characters to change and grow.

But when there are no tough calls to make, nor any failures to be had, the character lacks agency.

It's more compelling to see the character making choices and shaping the outcome of their story through their actions. When the answers just fall into their laps, they're simply passengers along for the ride.

Lazy Shortcuts

Sometimes, you need to skip over events for the sake of time and to keep the story moving.

In a well-crafted story, there is intention and logic. Nothing happens without reason or consequence.

However, when a shortcut is taken via plot convenience, it can cause the story to feel underdeveloped or rushed. Like something from the first draft got leftover because the writer couldn't come up with anything better.

This becomes especially apparent towards the end of Trap, when Cooper somehow manages to change out of his clothes, set up a dummy in the driver's seat of Lady Raven's limo, and sneak through the crowd of her fans engulfing the vehicle without being seen by any of them or the S.W.A.T. team rolling up. We just jump-cut to Cooper pulling his hood up and walking away from the gunshots. It's neither rewarding nor compelling; the cut might leave viewers feeling like even M. Night Shyamalan himself didn't know how to pull this escape off so he skipped over it entirely.

So how else do these plot contrivances and others impact Trap? Let's look at some of the conveniences that made Cooper's escapade a little too easy to be believed...

Jamie

The first contrivance that stands out to me as what CinemaSins calls, "because the movie says so" is Jamie.

Jamie is one of the employees at the merch stand. Riley wants a shirt but just after she asks for her size, the girl next to her pipes up and says that that's the shirt she wants. Coincidentally, there's only one left. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Cooper tells Riley to let the other girl have it.

This single interaction has Jamie praising Cooper for his strong family values (I'm not kidding), and promises to set aside a shirt in Riley's size when the next box is brought up from storage.

Aside from laying it on a little too thick, this scene with Jamie isn't all that egregious. It's just a little goofy.

It's what happens after that prompted the "really?"

Cooper leaves Riley to get the shirt from Jamie, but it hasn't been brought up yet so he takes the opportunity to make small talk, asking about the heightened security and FBI personnel. After getting him to promise he won't tell, Jamie admits it's because they have reason to believe The Butcher is attending the show. Jamie also confesses he's a true crime junkie who's been following the case since his first victim.

Cooper then offers to accompany Jamie to an employees-only area to get a box of t-shirts and Jamie doesn't so much as bat an eye. Once buzzed in, Cooper swipes Jamie's badge, giving him access to private areas of the facility. He also gets Jamie to disclose the codeword staff are instructed to shout in case they happen to encounter someone who fits The Butcher's profile.

For me, the issue wasn't so much the theft of the keycard that got me, but Jamie's unquestioning willingness to offer up confidential information to someone resembling The Butcher—who Jamie is arguably invested in given the fact he has crime scene photos stored on his phone and should therefore know what the guy supposedly looks like.

The Incompetence Of Trap's FBI

Just as the concert is getting underway, we see a swarm of police vehicles pull up to the venue. The FBI and a S.W.A.T. team are patrolling the area and pulling aside anyone who fits their description of The Butcher.

But it's not concrete—and not just because they don't know who the guy is.

At one point, it's mentioned that he's an older caucasian guy with white hair. Then, wait, he's in his mid-thirties and African American. Maybe he has an animal tattoo? Or a scar on his jaw? Hard to say. We hear so many conflicting reports that it sounds like they don't actually know what the guy looks like even though they have a professional criminal profiler on site.

This becomes especially frustrating later on.

Once he's snatched Jamie's badge, Cooper saunters on into an employees-only area where a S.W.A.T. briefing is taking place. None acknowledge his intrusion, so he strolls to the coffee station like he owns the joint. Only then is he addressed, because one of the officers asks where the sugar is; Cooper plays it off, blaming a "fellow" employee for the mixup before offering some of "his" stash from under the cabinet.

And, maybe just because he's getting cocky, he elbows the guys on the way out, quietly taunting them as he makes off with one of their walkie-talkies and an earpiece, allowing him to tap into their every move.

Following the concession stand explosion he causes as a distraction, Cooper flees to the roof, where he's met with a couple of agents who question him. Having nabbed an apron from the kitchen, Cooper pretends to be a distressed employee in need of air after the accident, which is reported over the radio moments later, corroborating this claim. One of the agents then asks for the codeword, which Cooper got from Jamie, as well as the card that was handed out at the staff briefing. Cooper gets lucky, finding a wallet in the pocket of his stolen apron that has this card inside, which he holds up.

The agents don't take it from him for closer inspection, nor do they notice the ID in the wallet belongs to a fellow who looks nothing like Cooper.

They send Cooper on his way but, because he can't help himself, Cooper asks about the profiler. Rather than dismiss him, the agent infodumps, giving him extensive details and another leg up.

The Concert Venue

Now it may be because my primary concert venue doubles as a basketball court for a WNBA team, but I have never seen a hydraulic lift or trap door in the middle of an aisle like that. Never mind the fact that it happens to be right next to where Cooper and Riley are seated. There is limited security standing by to prevent fans from interfering with one of Lady Raven's surprise guests, which could include anything like trying to get a selfie with him to physically assaulting him.

Of course, this door stays open for a solid minute, prompting Cooper to propose they sneak under it to check out the behind-the-scenes areas. Riley brushes this off.

Speaking of which, I've never been to a show with that many people milling around outside the venue during the performance. Maybe between the opener's set and the headliner taking the stage, but people stay put for the most part. The personal experience I can think of would be a chunk of the crowd leaving the venue during The Chainsmokers'sWorld War Joy tour after performing "Who Do You Love" with 5 Seconds of Summer; granted, I and a lot of folks went because 5SOS was one of the openers and that venue is what Chainsmokers member Alex called "5SOS's turf" since they've played it during all but one of their headlining tours, and I know some of the seats were comped freebies for rewards members to help fill the arena but it was still surprising—at least stick around for "Something Just Like This"...

This all to say that Cooper is just able to meander without being as noticed as he might have been otherwise.

Dreamer Girl

Near the end of the show, Lady Raven brings one fan on stage to dance with her for a song as the Dreamer Girl. There's also a meet-and-greet backstage.

Wanting to be Dad of the Century and having been informed by Jamie that backstage is basically (somehow?) the only spot that's not swarming with security, Cooper shoots his shot. He approaches a tour crew member, who just so happens to be Lady Raven's uncle (and M. Night Shyamalan himself in a cameo—fun fact, Lady Raven is played by his daughter, Saleka, who also wrote the pop star's music); this would be like casually striking up a conversation with Andrea Swift just before the Red segment of The Eras Tour, during which Taylor gifts one chosen fan her "22 Hat." By this point, we've seen how cunning Cooper is, but from what we as the viewer can tell, he has not done any research to know that this is Uncle Raven; he just got lucky.

Cooper points out Riley as she's dancing in the crowd and lets it slip that she's just beaten leukemia.

A bold-faced lie.

Moments after returning to his seat, Lady Raven's uncle and some other members of the tour crew approach and offer Riley the Dreamer Girl spot.

As they're escorted to the stage, one of the S.W.A.T. guys intercepts them. "Uncle Raven" whispers something to him, and Riley and Cooper are in the clear. Again, no questioning this man, while they've been pulling other dudes aside for questioning if they remotely fit their descriptions of The Butcher. Again, Cooper gets a free pass. Meanwhile, the FBI profiler is standing within view by the stage, but he manages to avoid her.

Lady Raven

After wrapping up her show, Lady Raven makes time to chat with Dreamer Girl Riley backstage. But Cooper's got another plan.

Leaning in, Cooper mentions his daughter's "condition" and asks to chat with the singer one-on-one. She agrees, no hesitation, no questions asked.

Here's the thing: Lady Raven is in on the FBI's plans. Before meeting up with Riley and Cooper, we see her touch base with the profiler, asking if they've caught The Butcher yet. Chances are, she knows what to be on the lookout for. They might not give her every detail, but enough information to keep her safe—you know, like WHAT HE SUPPOSEDLY LOOKS LIKE!

Additionally, this interaction realistically wouldn't be taking place at all. I'm under the impression that Lady Raven is of the same stardom as Olivia Rodrigo or Sabrina Carpenter, and considering Taylor Swift has to have guards with her at all times, I highly doubt Lady Raven's team would allow this private convo with a fan's dad, Dreamer Girl or not, especially if the know there is a serial killer running around.

Once he's sure nobody is listening in, Cooper reveals himself as The Butcher, whips out his phone, showing a livestream of his next victim, promising to kill him right then and there via poisonous fumes unless Lady Raven offers to take him and Riley home in her limo, unaccompanied by security and without letting Riley know the truth.

She reluctantly gives in.

Trap then shifts focus to Lady Raven's efforts to twart Cooper and get him caught, and that's also where it lost its spark for me as a viewer.

Up until this point, I was having fun. Contrived as many of the story's events were, it was fun to see Cooper get sneaky and weasel his way out of risky spots, like trying to find a distraction that wasn't pulling the fire alarm because the profiler predicted he would do so right as his hand was above the handle. As someone who loves going to concerts and developed a weird interest in the serial killer niche of true crime during the pandemic, this movie sounded like it was right up my alley.

Cooper is eventually arrested, and as he's been taken into custody, there's still one more contrivance that is a little more crafty than most, and one I'm slightly more willing to overlook.

Noticing his daughter's bike was knocked over, he uprights it. None of the S.W.A.T. officers prevent this. They just stand by and let it happen. At first, I thought it was a nice little bow on this relationship with Riley, that he would always put her first even with his secret life, but then Trap got one last sigh from me.

The film closes on a shot of Cooper sitting unattended in the back of the police vehicle, unattended and with one last trick up his sleeve: he's broken a spoke off the wheel of his daughter's bike and uses it to undo his handcuffs.

Even though in retrospect, it shouldn't have been possible since he had a team of officers surrounding him and at least one should have intervened, there's something satisfying about Cooper getting the last laugh. Almost like Dani's smirk in Midsommar. I kinda don't love that I don't hate it, but I also don't hate that I don't hate it...

How Can Writers Avoid The Trap Of Plot Conveniences?

Give your characters agency — allow them to make choices that impact the story's events. Let them play a part instead of being a passenger that things happen to and happen for.

Make 'em work for it — rather than dropping solutions in their lap, explore their thought process as they're working through a sticky situation. Trial and error is where the fun is!

Fail and face the consequences — speaking of errors, let your characters make mistakes and pay the price for them. Let them be wrong sometimes so that when they do get it right, it feels rewarding.

Foreshadowing — if an object, character, or event is going to play a key role later on in the story, don't be afraid to drop a hint or two along the way. That will help things feel less like a lucky happenstance and more like a character using the knowledge they gained along the way to their advantage.

Does this feel too easy? — asking yourself that one question can save you some trouble later. If the answer is yes, you may want to reevaluate the solution to your character's plight and throw another wrench in their plans.

One Last, Semi-Unrelated Thought...

There is something else I want to talk about concerning Trap, but there wasn't exactly a place to discuss it prior to this section and it's not necessarily long enough to warrant its own separate post so I'm hoping that if you've made it this far, you'll humor me for just a little longer...

Trap was fun, even with all of the blatant contrivances that make sure we get to Point A to Point B and even though the third act had me less invested. But it still felt like something was missing: a stronger emotional impact.

M. Night Shyamalan's films are renowned for their twist endings. But to be honest, I kind of like my own ending just a little better...

The entire film, we see Cooper trying to balance his two lives, that of a family man and that of a serial killer fully aware that the FBI is closing in. Riley loves him and is noticeably frustrated with his constant coming and going during the show, which got me wondering if the crazy twist here would be that Riley somehow found out her father was The Butcher and tipped off the FBI, wanting one last good day with him before her world crashed down.

There's a theme of releasing someone through forgiveness. It's in one of Lady Raven's songs, before which she tells a story about her difficult relationship with her own father and how she made peace with that heartache saying, "I release you" to let go of that pain and begin healing. She then prompts the audience to forgive someone in their life who's hurt them and to turn on their phone's flashlight to symbolize this release. We see Riley hold hers up, and it's honestly pretty touching.

It's mentioned that she's had a falling out with some friends, so it wouldn't be a stretch to assume she's forgiving them here, but I was wondering if she was actually forgiving Cooper instead because she knew. It would have been an interesting, touching parallel to Lady Raven's story.

When Riley and her brother are let out of the squad car following Cooper being apprehended, she runs over to him for a quick hug goodbye. I was expecting her to repeat Lady Raven's "I release you" to him and maybe even hold up her phone's flashlight again in the middle of the street as he's being driven away (and had she been the one to call in the tip about his being The Butcher, maybe she's absolving herself of guilt, too). It would have made for a truly emotional hit at the end.

That wasn't the case. And it was kind of a disappointment compared to the actual twist.

Suspension of disbelief means readers can be forgiving, but that doesn't mean they'll forgive everything. Conveniences like these can gradually erode your reader's acceptance of the world's conditions until the gaping plot hole is too large to ignore.

Trap had an interesting premise, but that's wherein the trouble lies. Premise is not enough to carry a story. It's important to think about the ins and outs of your characters' journey. It's not just about getting them from Point A to Point B, but doing so in a way that keeps your readers guessing with bated breath.

Don't fall into the trap of plot conveniences!