Night Trap (1993)

Director:

David A. Prior

Writer:

David A. Prior (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

He's Found the Perfect Playground...

Plot:

A New Orleans cop tries to track down and stop a vicious and demonic killer whom has sold his soul to the devil for invulnerability and immortality.

Plot Keywords:

Demon | Mardi Gras | New Orleans | Devil | Killer

Cast

Robert Davi	...	Mike Turner
Michael Ironside	...	Bishop
Lesley-Anne Down	...	Christine Turner
Lydie Denier	...	Valerie
Mike Starr	...	Det. Williams
Margaret Avery	...	Miss Sadie
John Amos	...	Capt. Hodges
Lillian Lehman	...	Mrs. Hodges
Jack Forcinito	...	Stevens (as Jack Verell)
David Dahlgren	...	Johnson
Mickey Jones	...	Bartender
Keri-Anne Bilotta	...	Michelle
Roger Engstrom	...	Anderson
John Graham Sr.	...	Bouncer
Thomas H. Fenton	...	Sam (as Thomas Fenton)

Also Known As:

Mardi Gras for the Devil

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:R | New Zealand:R18 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

West Side Studios

Quotes:

Miss Sadie: The devil gone kill her for sure.

Good escapism; but in slow motion!

It's just slow. There was so little to the plot that the director had to stretch out each scene until even the action seemed slow motion. The camera work as noticeably stiff and fixed in many scenes. The acting by the main protagonists was uninspired, but consistent.

The concept of whether Michael Ironside's character is the devil, or merely one of his overconfident myrmidons, is vague at best; as are his motives. But then one seems not to actually require motives in a horror film. It isn't something I fret about.

Still, Night Trap has some qualities to recommend it. Robert Davi, stone-faced, and purposeful, is interesting to watch as a cop who is just not quite the classic loner/rebel. John Amos is there too, but his performance is much too understated. I kept watching for him to fall asleep. Michael Ironside is more or less wasted in his part. He just struts around most of the time, and occasionally makes some threat or pejorative pronouncement in a stentorian and rather flat basso voice. The supporting cast did a good job though; and their characters were engaging. Everyone comes together to work out the meagre plot in a way that makes the film at least good escapism; and weak but reasonable horror. I'll often watch it if I see it come on cable. It's one of those "guy" films for when you just want to lean back in the recliner and escape for a while; and perhaps take a nap or two. If only it moved a little faster.