Trapped (2024)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

When a janitor, Joaquin (Javier Molina), comes across a handful of rambunctious teenagers planning to unleash their senior prank on the school, he must determine whether he should simply play along or stand up against the veritable bullies of the world. Trapped is a story about father and son, tightly wrapped in something that has nothing to do with father and son. 

Trapped wants to be a narrative that teaches viewers regarding the bond between father and son, something unbreakable, but challenging nonetheless. What the film fails to do is fully hone in on that aspect of the narrative. Directors David Cutler-Kreutz and Sam Cutler-Kreutz struggle to remain focused on their primary storyline, repeatedly veering off course and stealing from their purpose. Trapped is effectively bookended by the father-son narrative, which, when all is said and done, is enough to express to viewers all that the Cutler-Kreutzes had hoped, but I wish that there had been more focus, more deliberate attention to the relationship between Joaquin and Tony (Kamron Toosi). 

Additionally, there are a series of moments in this short film that shouldn’t have been present–that should have found their way to the cutting room floor. Again, the Cutler-Kreutzes often introduce alternative storylines in Trapped, ones that do nothing but hinder the film’s ability to remain linear and accessible. Again and again this duo oversteps in their own film, causing viewers to temporarily separate themselves from the primary narrative, leading us down a series of rabbit holes with no conclusion. 

What Trapped does incredibly well, however, is establish a dark, harrowing tone in its opening seconds, refusing to step off track in this regard and presenting viewers with a physically dark film that reels you in and keeps a hold on you. With minimal lighting, just enough to illuminate each of the characters present in the film, Trapped uses this lighting to represent the darkness that exists in Joaquin’s life. Aesthetically, this film hits all the right notes, never failing to entertain, never failing to transport viewers to the school in which it takes place. Through a combination of the lighting and the cinematography used to navigate the school in which Joaquin works, Trapped eloquently puts on display a claustrophobic and immersive narrative that is able to speak to viewers. 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the performance of Molina. Again, darkness (physical and metaphorical) creeps into every scene of Trapped, but the film has no shortage of comedy either. While darkness remains the primary tone of the film, comedy is established in a variety of scenes, ultimately tasking Molina with finding a balance that reaches viewers and doesn’t steal from the primary storyline. Molina is perfect in his portrayal of Joaquin. Joaquin is a fractured man, but he hasn’t lost his humanity, his sense of humor, or his intelligence. The many layers of Joaquin come to light throughout the course of Trapped, and while the writing certainly played a pivotal role in ushering this character out into the world, it’s ultimately the suave, charismatic, and endlessly charming performance of Molina that makes this character’s success possible. 

Trapped is heavily flawed in its narrative presentation, but the film ultimately works as a result of the film’s meaning bookending the story, the use of light, and Molina’s stand-out performance. Trapped is something of a rocky journey, but it hits enough of the right notes that it will certainly find an audience. And if you’re on the fence about whether or not you should give this film a chance, do yourself a favor and bask in the glory of Molina’s performance. 

Written & Directed by David Cutler-Kreutz & Sam Cutler-Kreutz. 

Starring Javier Molina, Kamron Toosi, Luke Cawley, Aeden Jayce, Ethan Jones, etc. 

6.5/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE