Trap House Reviews Crown This 2025’s Biggest Surprise

Dave Bautista has another bruiser on the way. His new action thriller, Trap House, is starting to roll out to critics, and the early word is all over the place: fun, messy, emotionally sincere in spots, and occasionally a facepalm. In other words, the kind of mid-budget actioner that lives and dies by how much you enjoy watching Bautista tear through a problem.

What it is, and when you can see it

Directed by Michael Dowse, Trap House hits U.S. theaters on November 14, 2025. Bautista stars as Ray Seale, with a supporting cast that includes Bobby Cannavale, Sophia Lillis, Whitney Peak, and Zaire Adams. The movie is being pitched on high-stakes action and big, crunchy set pieces, but it also swings at some heavier ideas about family, fear, growing up, and grief.

The early verdict: mixed, but curious

Critics are split. Performances are getting solid marks, especially Bautista doing more than just glower and punch, while the script and structure are where most of the elbows are flying.

• CBR (Nicholas Brooks): Called it a legit crowd-pleaser packed with shootouts and explosions, and shouted out Bautista alongside Bobby Cannavale, Sophia Lillis, Whitney Peak, and Zaire Adams. He also notes the movie tries to do more emotionally than you might expect, digging into family bonds, fear, adolescence, and loss. Brooks went so far as to label it one of the year’s biggest surprises, while admitting the tone wobbles here and there.
• The Hollywood Reporter (Frank Scheck): Zeroed in on Bautista, saying he keeps the movie watchable and even finds some emotional shading, but that he’s constantly wrestling with a script that keeps piling on nonsense. He gives Dowse credit for staging competent action even as the overall structure and tone feel inconsistent.
• Collider (Shawn Van Horn): Enjoyed it with caveats. The plot is pretty far-fetched, and your enjoyment will depend on how willing you are to just roll with it. Fun enough, but not exactly a showcase for everything Bautista can do.
• Flickering Myth (Robert Kojder): The harshest take. He argues the film squanders a smart, socially pointed premise and slides into generic thriller territory, complete with obvious betrayals and grating character work. He also flags the script by Gary Scott Thompson and Tom O'Connor as a problem area.

"Ultimately, Trap House is a well-balanced movie that occasionally struggles to get its tone across."

"Nonetheless, it’s a losing battle, with the plot inanities piling on rapidly."

The read-between-the-lines version

If you want a stripped-down, punchy action flick and can forgive some clunky plotting and uneven tone, this could be a solid night out. If you need airtight storytelling, brace yourself. Either way, Bautista heads are already circling the date, and the movie has enough sparks in the performances and set pieces to keep the anticipation alive — even as the script debate kicks off early.