Streaming: The Perfect Second Chance
Streaming platforms have become the ideal way to catch up on movies we skipped in theaters—sometimes intentionally, writing them off as likely duds.
This was true of David Yarovesky’s ‘Trapped,' which opened in theaters in spring 2025 and is now available to stream. Maybe audiences sensed something back then and stayed away, and for good reason. The film fits right in as background noise for a lazy Sunday while you daydream about your upcoming week.
Everything Looked Right—At First
The setup sounds promising: a young car thief gets into a massive SUV, only to be trapped remotely by the owner in a completely armored, soundproof vehicle that's cut off from the world. Bill Skarsgård plays the thief, and Anthony Hopkins is the menacing voice of the owner.
For the movie, Yarovesky cooked up a fictional car brand, ‘Dolus,' to represent the menacing SUV. In reality, it’s a heavily modified Land Rover Defender, with a badge that looks a lot like Aston Martin’s. There’s no product placement here—apparently, real automakers wanted nothing to do with such a sinister on-screen ride.
Why Is ‘Trapped' So Boring?
The Dolus does its job as an imposing set piece, and modern car features—from screens with cameras to air conditioning that becomes torture, even heated seats used as tasers—get their moment. But these clever touches can’t shake a persistent sense of boredom. It’s tough to care about the car thief’s plight (he’s doing this for his daughter, of course) or the justifications of his captor.
Simplicity Isn’t Always Thrilling
Crafting a gripping story from such a simple premise isn’t easy. Not everyone is John Carpenter, Stephen King (‘Christine'), or Steven Spielberg (‘Duel'). Here, it feels as if Yarovesky simply runs out of ideas for what to do with the SUV’s interior and his two leads. Skarsgård tries to fill the emptiness by amping up his performance. Hopkins barely appears onscreen, though his voice pipes in now and then. His involvement feels less like creative passion and more like paying off a bill.
The result? Despite the film’s 70mm visuals, which aim to add scale to the cramped story, ‘Trapped' feels flat. The ending is about as predictable as they come (spoiler: the thief beats the villain). Still, the movie does have one rare plus these days: it’s mercifully short, running just under 95 minutes.
