The Mouse Trap (2024) Review
The Mouse Trap (2024) Review
Directed by Jamie Bailey (WHAT LURKS BENEATH), THE MOUSE TRAP is written by Simon Phillips (BLOOD HARVEST), who also stars as Mickey, the masked killer, terrorising a gang of friends late one night at an amusement arcade. There’s shocks and gore galore as Mickey dons his mask and goes on a rodent rampage.
It’s Alex’s 21st Birthday, but she’s stuck at the amusement arcade on a late shift so her friends decide to surprise her, but a masked killer dressed as Mickey Mouse decides to play a game of his own with them which she must survive.
When Disney’s iconic Mickey Mouse – the STEAMBOAT WILLIE version of him – passed into Public Domain on 1st January 2024 it was inevitable that someone somewhere would look to take advantage of turning the annoying squeaky-faced animated character into something darker, nastier than the empire that the mouse is emblematic for ever would. After all that very same thing had been done with Disney’s Winnie the Pooh after he also passed into Public Domain two years prior resulting in the dire WINNIE THE POOH: BLOOD AND HONEY and its equally as appalling sequel a year later.
THE MOUSE TRAP is exactly what you would expect it to be from reading the synopsis and from also knowing the circumstances behind its making (the filmmakers wanted to make something quick to capitalise on the situation before anyone else got a look in). Fortunately, it is a vast improvement on the aforementioned WINNIE THE POOH flicks and it is totally watchable, but it leaves no real impression.
This is in part due to the lack of any real characterisation or any significant plotline to get one’s teeth into but to be fair I doubt either was really a consideration during the scripting of THE MOUSE TRAP. The makers were looking to have fun turning a beloved icon (for some, not me) into a serial killer with the ability to vanish before teleporting themselves elsewhere.
Gorgeous bearded British actor Simon Phillips – who stars, co-produces, and wrote THE MOUSE TRAP – enjoyed the opportunity to turn the annoying mouse character into a killer and for the most part I had fun watching it too. If only there was that bit more depth to be had then it would have had the potential to become a quaffing-a-six-pack-of-beer essential flick.
WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER HERE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SFwoWr_yCw
THE MOUSE TRAP will be released on digital platforms from 30th September and DVD from 14th October
