Trapped [Mohamed Maged, USA, 2018]

Trapped is a comedic film about a man who becomes trapped inside a camera shot, unable to leave the borders of the frame without emerging on the other side, back where he started.

It is an amusing and inventive piece, full of visual gags that plays with – often in a quite ‘meta’ way – the visual conventions of camera shots and framing in film. As the exasperated protagonist struggles to escape the confines of the shot, it forces the audience to consider elements of film that are often taken for granted, such as how shots are framed. In addition, the music playing throughout gives Trapped a strong sense of playfulness and the ebb and flow of the music helps to create a sense of pacing over the runtime.

The character’s entrapment is resolved when a woman, (the same woman he rudely pushed past earlier), lends him a helping hand. His rudeness forgiven, his punishment/bad karma ends... at least until the post credits stinger, which acts as a nice final comedic beat.

Trapped is a short but visually very interesting film full of humour and charm. Director Mohamed Maged should be praised for coming up with a fun and original idea and executing it with aplomb.

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'Trapped' was a film in consideration for Short Focus Film Festival 2019.