Trap parents guide: Is M. Night Shyamalan's latest movie scary?

M. Night Shyamalan's latest movie Trap is now playing in theaters. Described as The Silence of the Lambs if it took place at a Taylor Swift concert, Trap is a very fun and fast-paced cat-and-mouse film about a serial killer trying to outwit the FBI after they trap him at a concert he's attending with his daughter. Trap received a PG-13 rating for some violent content and brief strong language.

For those interested in seeing the movie but who might have reservations about its content, the following guide will help you determine if this movie is right for you. Mild spoilers.

Violent content in Trap

Trap leans into its status as a psychological thriller, and because of its PG-13 rating, there isn't much gore, though the film does have some disturbing content. In terms of violence, the main character is a serial killer and his past crimes are discussed and alluded to throughout the movie. As shown in the trailer, he does have a victim in captivity and we see him tied up through camera footage.

We're told that he chopped up his victims and there are a couple of (bloodless) crime scene photos shown. A woman is severely burned after a deep fryer blows up and we see some of her burn wounds while she's being rolled out on a gurney. A man pushes a woman down some stairs. Other scenes show a man threatening a woman with a meat cleaver and, at one point, getting tased multiple times.

But Trap mixes comedy with horror and isn't too frightening overall. The entire film is free of gore, and no one is seriously hurt on-screen (except the woman with the burns, but we only see the lead-up and aftermath).

Other mature content

There is some mild cursing, but beyond that Trap is pretty tame in terms of disturbing and triggering content. There is no sexual content or nudity in the movie apart from one man removing his shirt toward the end.

If you've watched other serial killer thrillers in the past, Trap is likely tamer than many of them. It has been compared to The Silence of the Lambs, but is much less serious in tone and not nearly as disturbing as that film. Trap does contain scenes of a killer trying to outwit the police and details about murder and serial killer profiling.

Trap is now playing in theaters nationwide. To stay up to date on thrillers, sci-fi, and horror, bookmark 1428 Elm and follow our Facebook page and Twitter account!