I Trapped the Devil

Name: I Trapped the Devil
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Horror
Released: April 26, 2019
Duration: 82 min
Rating: 47
Cast: Aaron Larsen, AJ Bowen, Chris Sullivan, Jack Vernon, Jocelin Donahue

2019

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 7 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 6 Ratings

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5.7

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5.7	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 6 Ratings

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I Trapped The Devil

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Midnight | Release Date: April 26, 2019 | NR

Starring: Aaron Larsen, AJ Bowen, Chris Sullivan, Jack Vernon, Jocelin Donahue, John Marrott, Rowan Russell, Scott Poythress, Susan Burke, Victoria Smith

Summary: Christmas is supposed to be a time for peace and joyful family reunions. But when Matt (AJ Bowen) and his wife Karen (Susan Burke) show up unannounced at the home of his estranged brother Steve (Scott Poythress) to celebrate the holidays, they are instead greeted with a horrifying surprise: trapped in the basement is a man. But not just anyChristmas is supposed to be a time for peace and joyful family reunions. But when Matt (AJ Bowen) and his wife Karen (Susan Burke) show up unannounced at the home of his estranged brother Steve (Scott Poythress) to celebrate the holidays, they are instead greeted with a horrifying surprise: trapped in the basement is a man. But not just any man. Steve believes that his hostage is none other than the devil himself. As shock and skepticism turn to fear and paranoia, Matt and Karen find themselves facing a terrifying quandary: is Steve dangerously unhinged? Or could the mysterious stranger really be evil incarnate? Either way, the stage is set for a true Christmas from hell. [IFC Midnight]… Expand

Director: Josh Lobo

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Horror

Rating: NR

Runtime: 82 min

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Critic Reviews

The Film Stage Jared Mobarak

Apr 25, 2019

The dread becomes so palpable that the implausibility of a wooden door with three tiny locks somehow containing the Devil actually proves itself scarier as a result. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Apr 26, 2019

Clever-but-frustrating. Read full review

Alex Saveliev

Apr 23, 2019

Silly and scary, atmospheric and disjointed, I Trapped the Devil showcases Lobo’s affection for the genre. He wisely avoids falling into the “gore” trap, instead relying on characterization and our fear of the unknown to raise the hair on the back of your neck. Read full review

Noel Murray

Apr 25, 2019

Lobo overdoes the sudden shifts between the real and the surreal in the last act, refusing to answer any questions definitively until he has to. But the first-time filmmaker shows an impressive amount of confidence in his methods. He knows how to make audiences uncomfortable — first with tedium, then with terror. Read full review

Dennis Harvey

Apr 26, 2019

Doesn’t ultimately provide quite enough reward for a slow buildup. But it proves Lobo an able helmer (if one who could probably use a co-writer next time), eking decent atmospherics and good performances within a potentially claustrophobic premise. Read full review

Teo Bugbee

Apr 25, 2019

By seesawing between bland normalcy and hellishness, Lobo denies his audience the immersive horror that his film’s best images promise. Read full review

Frank Scheck

Apr 24, 2019

Unfortunately, for all the debuting filmmaker's talent for creepy atmospherics, I Trapped the Devil feels draggy and attenuated even with its brief 82-minute running time including credits. Despite some good performances, the film goes nowhere, and very, very slowly. Read full review

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User Reviews

BryanAndrew

Apr 9, 2020

Essentially a Twilight Zone episode that is drawn out way too long and over-relies on suspense to carry its entirety to the end. The film is set in a single setting that is so dark that it is genuinely difficult to tell what is going on at times - especially in the basement where everythingEssentially a Twilight Zone episode that is drawn out way too long and over-relies on suspense to carry its entirety to the end. The film is set in a single setting that is so dark that it is genuinely difficult to tell what is going on at times - especially in the basement where everything is literally bathed in a red hue. There is praise, however, in the unique decision in placing the events of the film during Christmas with festive decor, creating a disturbing dissonance that juxtaposes itself sharply against the actual mood of the film. The actor of Steve did a marvelous job at selling his character's disposition by portraying a somewhat nervous twitchiness at key moments. Also, at one point he had to deliver some movie exposition to get the audience up to speed and he does so with a sort of ease that makes his performance believable. However, I think the remaining two characters of Matt and Karen were under-developed and lacked substance, and it shows in the actors bland portrayals of them. The music score is highly effective but is so overused throughout the film that it loses its effect by the time it truly matters. In terms of sound mixing and editing, I think the voice of the 'Devil' has a genuinely creepy vibe to it and an almost ominous presence. The same can be said for the 'Blindfolded woman' in Steve's vision, with her freakish cries actually giving me goosebumps as I watched along. The movie leaves much to be desired and more questions than answers in the end, and while I think open-ended endings are good in some cases, it doesn't quite work for me in this film. For example - Who was calling? Who were the people in Steve's vision? Mystery is good when it adds to the story's themes and motifs but in this case it just adds mystery for the sake of it. In the end, the plot is ultimately pretty straightforward and moves at the pacing of a slow burn with little payoff. 'I Trapped the Devil' gets a 5.5/10.… Expand

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JLuis_001

Jun 12, 2021

Honestly, I didn't think it was terrible, but I've already seen a lot of other indie horror movies that feel incredibly similar.
So this one did nothing for me.

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Satanski666

May 8, 2022

I liked visuals and music very much, but authors conveniently avoided answering questions which demand the most imagination and story telling talent. Had high hopes during opening scenes, but ultimately found the movie to be boring waste of time.

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