Many of M. Night Shyamalan’s Movies Are Set In Philadelphia, but Is That Where ‘Trap’ Was Filmed?

M. Night Shyamalan Trap has divided viewers. While there were some happy to see actor Josh Hartnett in a leading role as a deranged killer and another offering from the horror director, others weren't so thrilled with the way the film panned out. Currently, it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 57 out of 100.

Another question for long-time viewers of Shyamalan's films was the location in which the movie was filmed. In many instances, the director sets his films inside of Philadelphia. But is that where the movie was filmed?

The 2024 thriller indeed does take place inside of a fictional Tanaka Arena in Philadelphia, however, that's not where production on the movie actually took place. In fact, it was actually filmed about 480 miles north of the City of Brotherly Love in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Atlas of Wonders actually broke down the movie's filming locations, highlighting several of the spots highlighted in the film and pointing them out. At the onset of the film, when its lead character, Cooper (Hartnett) parks his car and walks up to the arena with his daughter, their ride is left at the Rees Street Parking lot, which is located near the Rogers Centre.

Eagle-eyed fans might notice that they're actually walking away from the direction of the Rogers Centre, not toward it. As for the Tanaka Arena, it's actually a combination of the Rogers Centre, which is where the city's Toronto Blue Jays play its home games, and HighRail Park, as some of the filming took place on Blue Jays Way.

Exclaim Magazine also reports that additional exterior shots were shot at the Scotiabank Arena, which was previously named the Air Canada Centre in downtown Toronto.

Interior filming took place inside the FirstOntario Centre, which is located in Hamilton, where a local hockey team, the Bulldogs, showcase their skills in front of a venue that seats 17,000 attendees.

As for the Abbott house featured in the film, that was actually filmed in a private residence located in Glen Leven, Mississauga. A limousine scene also takes place on Milton's Main Street, as per Inside Halton.

Some have blasted the film's premise, stating that it's just a glorified commercial for the director's daughter's music career. She is featured heavily in the film, as it takes place during a concert in which she's a performer lots of people have come to watch. Additionally, her music is the basis of the movie's soundtrack.

Rogert Ebert's website gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, stating that the team that constructed its narrative failed to give a compelling enough premise to rise to the previous work Shyamalan once showcased throughout his career.

The publication writes the movie "too often lacks the craftsmanship it needs to crackle with energy and tension."

However, the same piece did state that it carries enough punch in some moments to "almost" make it a film worth watching. And these are largely attributed to Josh Hartnett's performance throughout the movie.

In fact, the outlet stated that it seems that the movie almost feels wasted on the type of energy Hartnett brings to his character: "It’s a shame his great work sometimes feels trapped in a movie that doesn’t know what to do with it."

The website went on to also state that it felt like the film featured way too much of Shyamalan's daughter's music.

"Saleka wrote and performed most of the music, and speaking bluntly, there’s a bit too much of it, especially because it’s not quite as catchy as T. Swift," the reviewer wrote.

Rotten Tomatoes audience reviews were a bit more favorable — 65 percent of those who watched the movie had positive things to say about the flick.

One commenter also said that they were happy to see Hartnett in the film and seemed to like his performance in it. Furthermore, they appreciated the way the film was structured: "Love to see Josh Hartnett getting back in the saddle. The movie was a new POV for a serial killer movie. The twists and turns the character had to navigate in an enclosed space like a concert venue were fun to watch."