‘Rabbit Trap’ Review: Dev Patel Leads a Folk Horror Tale With Acoustic Flourishes That Fail to Stir Fears

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In the first horror film from Wales, “Rabbit Trap,” directed by Bryn Chainey, an uneasy sonic ambiance is established, and the actors deliver compelling performances. Yet, these elements contribute to a somewhat confusing narrative that relies heavily on its open-ended interpretation. The dramatic structure and visual style fail to effectively combine into a coherent, impactful, or profound experience, despite the story’s recurring symbolism.

The movie making its premiere at Sundance is shrouded in mystery from the start. In the tranquil Welsh countryside, we find Darcy (Dev Patel) and his wife Daphne (Rosy McEwen) living secluded lives. It’s 1976, and their home is a treasure trove of vintage audio equipment, which Daphne utilizes to compose her avant-garde music, crafted from the sounds Darcy records with his boom mic during his leisurely walks. However, an enigmatic signal that Darcy can’t decipher leads him to a group of mushrooms in the forest – a spot known as a “fairy circle” in Welsh folklore. This mysterious encounter brings an androgynous stranger (Jade Croot) to their doorstep, who claims to have been attracted by Daphne’s music from afar.

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself drawn into the chilling tale of an enigmatic stranger named Croot, who seems to possess an uncanny connection with Welsh folklore. From the unsettling audio prologue that sets the atmosphere, it’s not hard to guess that something supernatural is afoot.

Daphne and Darcy, our unsuspecting protagonists, find themselves inexplicably intrigued by this mysterious character who they refer to as ‘the boy.’ However, despite their curiosity, they never seem to ask for her name. This ‘boy’ figure, I suspect, may be linked to the elusive tylwyth teg, Welsh fairies known for creating magical circles and coveting children, often leaving changelings in their place.

What makes this story intriguing is a surprising twist: Daphne and Darcy have no children of their own. This inversion adds a layer of complexity to the role that Croot’s character plays in their lives, leaving us, the audience, guessing about her true intentions.

This character navigates a thin balance between innocence and assertiveness, but he swiftly oversteps this boundary when he casually brings up Daphne pretending to be his mother as a joke. The couple never explicitly discuss having children or their potential future together, yet parental concerns pervade the narrative. Darcy’s terrifying nightmares about his father leave him restless and paranoid, while Daphne’s composure hints at a muted sadness, as if she is yearning for something in her life that might be her quest through her art. The duo are charming and exhibit a cute romantic dynamic, but this bond proves brittle the moment Croot arrives on the scene, introducing an otherworldly power reminiscent of Barry Keoghan’s quiet, monotone charm in “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

As a movie critic, I found “Rabbit Trap” to be intriguingly enigmatic, failing to elucidate the enigma that haunts Daphne and Darcy’s marriage, symbolized by the persistent void at its core. This ambiguity opens up room for various interpretations, such as whether this mysterious boy is a supernatural manifestation of a child they might have lost or chosen not to bear in their past. However, I believe the film could have benefited from a more definitive explanation, especially when the boy starts encroaching on Daphne and Darcy’s lives. Such clarification may have strengthened the overall narrative cohesion of this thought-provoking piece.

Although the initial scenes where Darcy gathers surrounding sounds, reminiscent of “Upstream Color”, are intriguing, the film’s auditory mysteries often fail to manifest visually. For example, the boy, who traps rabbits and insists on giving his new surrogate parents his catches regardless of their preference, is a character whose actions don’t usually provoke a strong sense of unease or fear. The movie seldom focuses on close-ups of something chilling or even reactions from Daphne or Darcy that might indicate discomfort or terror – not even a hint of mild distress. Instead, the narrative relies heavily on subtle implications rather than creating a tense atmosphere through explicit, potentially frightening scenes.

The movie’s initial multi-layered soundtrack doesn’t linger long. The distinctive audio features (and the couple’s fascination with acoustics) are swiftly forgotten, giving a sense that the entire concept of the film is merely routine. Given that experimental music, constructed from fragments of nature and distorted, is crucial to this movie, it’s rather straightforward and literal in its approach, even surprising so, towards “Rabbit Trip”. Despite venturing into fantastical, symbolic realms in the final act, the overall narrative still seems quite conventional.

The outcome, regrettably, presents meanings in a straightforward, practical manner. The film’s concealed mysteries barely disturb the calm surface of a tranquil pool – they lack depth and complexity to obscure or deepen its themes, or transform their revelation into an emotionally engaging journey.

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2025-01-25 09:51