There’s More to Josh Hartnett’s Shirtless Scene in ‘Trap’ Than Meets the Eye – Symbolism Explained

Movies often use scenes that are more than what meets the eye at first glance. A simple moment of a character or a crowd-pleasing shot may actually carry symbolic meaning and hidden references. M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller Trap is a perfect characterization of this fact, with several carefully crafted scenes.

Trap features Josh Hartnett as it is his comeback to mainstream films after a while. However, a certain scene in the movie has already made its way to some social media talks and confusion. While some audiences might simply view it as another shirtless scene from the Hollywood hunk, there is actually a lot more going on beneath the surface. 

Deeper Meaning Behind Josh Hartnett’s Shirtless Trap Scene

Trap is centered on Josh Hartnett‘s Cooper Abbott, a regular Philadelphia firefighter who brings his daughter to a pop concert. However, Cooper is hiding a dark secret. He is in fact the serial killer known as “The Butcher.” In the movie, every step that Cooper takes is calculated, even his shirtless scene before the movie ends.

The scene takes place during Cooper’s final confrontation with his wife Rachel, played by Alison Pill. Some viewers, who couldn’t understand the purpose of being shirtless have expressed their confusion online.

However, the added element of this scene is more compelling than just a visual appeal since Hartnett suggested it to enhance the character’s complexity. Speaking to People, Hartnett explained,

I didn’t want to cheat the audience. I wanted it to be as raw and scary and f—ed up as possible. Knowing that he’s OCD, and that he’s got these sort of qualities about himself that doesn’t want to make a mess, I thought wouldn’t it be interesting if over the course of this he just starts taking his shirt off and it gets really visceral.

Then gouging the guy’s eyes, all that monster stuff was really important to me, because I felt like you had to know that this person you’ve been following, who you may be charmed by, is an actual monster. I think it’s important for the movie.

The scene is the best example of Cooper’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies. That is why when he takes off his shirt, it is not to show his physique – it is about cleanliness and control. 

The scene becomes more important when Cooper’s past is considered. His wife recalls noticing that she had realized his secret identity partly because he carried a faint smell of disinfectant. Being shirtless is not only about avoiding blood stains, it is about how Cooper approaches his murders as well.

Trap‘s Ending and Chances of a Sequel

Trap‘s ending has left some questions in the minds of its audience. After being captured, Cooper retrieves a bicycle spoke while fixing his daughter’s bicycle. The final scenes where Cooper is seen freeing himself from handcuffs in a police van imply that there might be more to his story.

This has left people wondering whether a sequel to the movie is being planned, and it looks like both M. Night Shyamalan and Hartnett are willing to give it a shot. In an interview with The Playlist, Shyamalan claimed that the test audiences were intrigued with the idea of a sequel as “every hand in the theater went up” when they were asked for a follow-up.

Hartnett said he is willing to work as Cooper again. Speaking to The Playlist he said, “I would love to work with Night again,” before further praising Shyamalan’s style of filmmaking. He particularly explained how Shyamalan enjoys giving a new take to a common genre.

However, the potential of Trap 2 is tied to the success of the first film. Filmed on a $30 million budget (as per Collider), the movie has grossed more than $82 million worldwide (as per Box Office Mojo). With such numbers and Shyamalan’s tendency to self-finance his films, the film doesn’t need massive numbers to confirm a sequel.

Trap is now available to stream on Max.