I Trapped the Devil focuses on a young couple named Matt and Karen, played by AJ Bowen and Susan Theresa Burke, respectively, who visit Matt’s brother Steve, played by Scott Poythress, for Christmas. Steve is paranoid and has been making the house feel uneasy. After some investigating, Steve eventually reveals to Matt that he has a man, played by Chris Sullivan, locked in his basement who Steve claim is the devil. Matt and Karen feel uneasy about this, though Steve claims no one will believe him, and the three begin to debate what to do next before trouble finds them all.
Despite the title, this is actually a very different sort of horror movie. While there are instances where ghostly visions are seen from time to time, this is a film less focused on the supernatural, and goes more for character drama. A lot of this film is psychological in nature, and a lot of the suspense is built around Steve’s paranoia, as well as the three main characters trying to figure out the consequences of Steve’s actions.
This is more of a performance-driven film, and the acting is definitely the strongest element. While both AJ Bowen and Susan Theresa Burke do a solid job, it’s Scott Poythress who absolutely steals the show as Steve. He really nails the paranoia and dread that helps set the tone for the entire rest of the movie. His performance feels very nuanced, and never really goes for over-the-top, despite there being plenty of opportunities that could have allowed him to just lose his mind on one of the other characters. But he plays it pretty straightforward, giving just the right amount of energy that elevates many of the scenes.
Supporting Poythress’ performance are some really nice set pieces that really help give the film a tight-knit, claustrophobic feel. Most of the film takes place within the one house, and there’s definitely a sense of confinement, through a lot of tight close-ups, a haunting soundtrack, and the way in which each room is lit to give off this sense of uneasiness. The film takes its time, never really going so much for jump scares, though lingering on characters’ reactions and certain images to help build suspense.
Though while the film is well-acted and looks nice, in terms of story it does leave a lot to be desired. This is a film where not a whole lot happens, and it can be felt at various points throughout. A lot of scenes are centered around characters having conversations about the situation at hand, and it can feel like the back-and-forths go on for way too long at times. It feels repetitive, as there are constant scenes of two people simply just having an argument, until it gets towards the end.
Plus in terms of characterization, only so much is really learned, with Steve being the only real exception, and even then, it’s still only a limited amount of information. The film never really dives too deep into why Steve believes this particular man is the devil, nor does it really care to answer a lot of the questions it decides to bring up, making the film feel really vague. Also, not much is really learned about either Matt or Karen, and their whole arc is centered around them trying to figure one situation out. Neither of them really have any standout character traits, and because of that, despite some solid performances, it wasn’t easy to always be invested in them.
I Trapped the Devil is a noble first effort for writer-director Josh Lobo, but it only feels like a half-finished product. While it does boast a great performance from Scott Poythress, and is very atmospheric, it’s also a frustratingly vague movie that often feels surface level. Its characterization is limited, many of its ideas don’t feel like they don’t have true meaning, and there are plenty of times it often feels like it’s on repeat with conversations of characters simply disagreeing with one another about the same thing. There’s enough commendable elements that are worth checking out, but one shouldn’t necessarily go out of their way for this one, beyond watching once.
Recommendation: Proceed With Caution
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