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I Trapped The Devil (2019)
- Dominique Rideout
- Dec 17, 2024
- 4 min read
Rating: 2/5
"I Trapped the Devil" (2019) isn’t your typical horror film—it’s quiet, unnerving, and doesn’t try to impress with flashy scares. Josh Lobo’s directorial debut creates an atmosphere so claustrophobic you’ll feel like you’re trapped right alongside the characters. The scariest thing? Not what you see, but what you can’t quite understand. The film’s slow pacing will either draw you in or drive you crazy, depending on whether you’ve got the patience for it.
Plot Summary
Steve (Scott Poythress) has locked something—or someone—in his basement, and when his brother Matt (AJ Bowen) and sister-in-law Karen (Susan Burke) show up for an unexpected Christmas visit, Steve insists it’s the devil. Naturally, this doesn’t exactly help with the holiday cheer. As paranoia and tension set in, Matt and Karen have to decide if Steve’s belief is pure madness or something much darker. The film is packed with a chilling atmosphere and enough psychological unease to make you wonder about reality, faith, and whether you’re headed for salvation... or damnation.
Chopping Block - Hits & Misses
Hits
The film’s atmospheric tension is one of its strongest points for me. The confined setting makes every shadow and creak feel amplified, and I could really feel the claustrophobia closing in as the story progressed.
Scott Poythress really owned his role, delivering a performance that made me feel the weight of a man who’s losing his mind. I was captivated by how well he captured the slow unraveling of his character.
The Christmas setting totally flipped the script for me. It’s supposed to be all cozy and warm, but instead, it turns the familiar into something oddly terrifying, which really threw me off in the best way.
Misses
The slow-burn pacing really tested my patience at times. I get that it’s building tension, but for someone like me who enjoys a bit more action-driven horror, it felt like it was dragging its feet.
The supporting characters didn’t do much for me. I kept waiting for them to really dive into their roles, but instead, they felt like background noise. Missed chance to get me emotionally invested.
The ambiguous ending didn’t quite work for me. I’m all for open-ended conclusions, but this one left a few too many questions hanging, and I couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated by the lack of closure.
Full Review
Scare Factor — Points: .5
The film leans heavily into psychological tension, and for me, that’s where it thrives. It’s not about the jump scares—it’s about that creeping paranoia and subtle dread that keeps you on edge, slowly wearing you down. There’s no need for big shocking moments when the unease is so well-crafted.
Storyline and Plot — Points: 0
The premise definitely had me hooked, but the minimal plot progression and the occasional predictability kept the narrative from really hitting its stride. It’s a shame, because it had so much potential that wasn’t fully realized.
Atmosphere and Setting — Points: .5
The house is dark, cramped, and the Christmas lights are just there to remind you that it’s supposed to be a happy time, but it’s definitely not. The contrast creates a tense, dissonant atmosphere that really ramps up the psychological unease, making you feel trapped both in space and in the mounting dread.
Special Effects and Makeup — Points: .5
This one isn’t about blood and guts—it relies on restraint, with subtle visuals that keep you in the dark. While I think it does the job, if you’re someone who wants their horror served with a side of flashy effects, you might find it a bit too minimalist.
Acting and Performances — Points: .5
Scott Poythress delivers an intense, captivating performance that truly anchors the film. However, while AJ Bowen and Susan Burke hold their own, their roles feel underdeveloped, and I couldn’t help but feel they deserved more depth to really elevate the story.
Final Verdict
"I Trapped the Devil" shifts the focus from typical scares to a psychological descent, using holiday unease to amplify the tension. Josh Lobo’s directorial debut creates an oppressive atmosphere, anchored by Scott Poythress’s chilling performance, but its deliberate pacing and restrained plot will leave action-oriented horror fans frustrated. The film thrives on subtlety and the paranoia of an unseen threat, yet for me, the slow-burn tension didn’t quite culminate in a payoff that delivered the punch it promised.
If you’re into atmospheric, minimalist horror with slow-building dread—think "The House of the Devil", or even "The Twilight Zone"—this film will probably hit the mark. For those who enjoy psychological horror over gore, there’s a lot to chew on. But if you’re someone who prefers fast, loud, and bloody scares, you’ll likely be left wishing you were trapped in a different movie.
