“Terror Trap” Movie Review

Runtime: 86 minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: 2010

Director: Dan Garcia

Michael Madsen continues his descent into straight to DVD films, but this time, he decided to bring David James Elliott with him. The film starts out with a young hot blond woman driving too fast while talking on her cell phone. The officer who pulls her over, Cleveland (Jeff Fahey, “The Lawnmower Man”) gives her two options: get drug into court or hit the local motel with him.

The film then jumps to Don (Elliott) and his wife Nancy driving down the same road. The two fight over everything from his work to her lack of interest, and the fight doesn't end when a car rams into them before disappearing into the night. Cleveland shows up and offers them a ride to the motel, and while Don wants to take his gun, Nancy convinces him to leave it behind.

After meeting with the creepy clerk and checking into a room, Nancy pitches a fit. There is hair on the soap, the blankets look dirty, and she doesn't even want to sit down. To make matters worse, the people next door make too much noise. Don knocks on the door and talks to the man in the room, only to later discover that the woman in the room is there against her will. It turns out that the hotel makes money by charging guests to watch people attack, rape, and kill women.

Let's get my biggest complaint out of the way first. Don is a former-Marine, and the film continually reminds us that he spent years in the military. When it comes time to actually stand up and fight for his wife, who he supposedly love, he keeps getting his ass kicked. My boyfriend is a former Marine, who has been out several years, and he wouldn't get his ass kicked by a fat trucker. In fact, at several points in this movie, he pointed out what they are trained to do and how it differs from what Don does.

Then there's the fact that “Terror Trap” is basically a rip-off of “Vacancy.” I kind of understand where it comes from though, because I've watched multiple horror movies over the years and thought that I could do a better job with a cell phone camera and my friends. That doesn't mean that I rush right out and do it though.

That's not to say that the whole movie stinks because it doesn't stink. Madsen does his lazy eyed acting in the few scenes that he turns up in, and no one does it better. Fahey has sank so low in his career that it's kind of nice to see him amp things up a little to play a slightly crazy guy who gets off on watching women get murdered. All in all, it wasn't terrible, but it sure wasn't the greatest.