Is M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap Based On A True Story? Real-Life Tale Behind Movie EXPLORED

As a die-hard fan of thrilling narratives and a history buff, I simply cannot contain my excitement for M. Night Shyamalan’s latest masterpiece, “Trap.” The film’s gripping plot, which seamlessly blends elements of suspense, psychology, and real-life events, leaves me absolutely spellbound.


As a devoted follower, I’d like to share my thoughts on M. Night Shyamalan’s gripping masterpiece, “Trap.” In this chilling psychological thriller, I find myself portraying Cooper, a menacing serial killer, played skillfully by Josh Hartnett. In an attempt to maintain a semblance of normalcy, Cooper takes his daughter to witness her beloved pop star perform – little does he know, this event is actually a meticulously planned sting operation. Shyamalan himself likened the film to a chilling blend of “The Silence of the Lambs” and a Taylor Swift concert. Remarkably, “Trap” draws inspiration from Operation Flagship, one of the U.S.’s most triumphant undercover operations in history.

In December 1985, the U.S. Marshals Service, using the pseudonym “Flagship International Sports TV,” mailed more than 3,000 bogus invitations to wanted individuals in Washington, D.C., offering free tickets to a Redskins vs. Bengals football game. These invitations were actually aimed at people with outstanding warrants.

Transportation by bus was arranged for a pre-match celebration, at which the victorious teams could claim their rewards, participate in additional raffles for game tickets, and win a trip to Super Bowl XX.

150 undercover agents, posing as cheerleaders, caterers, representatives of the flagship store, and even a San Diego Chicken mascot, lay in wait at the Washington Convention Center on December 15. They had been invited, and 101 of the 3,000 attendees were actually fugitives, all dressed in Redskins apparel, ready for their arrest.

101 fugitives were deemed too risky to apprehend all at once, so upon arrival, each group of approximately 15 individuals was processed and moved to a different area. They were informed that they would receive their documents and hear from the event’s host, who was none other than enforcement chief Louie McKinney.

After settling down, McKinney initiated his talk, covering the day’s happenings and introducing Flagship’s fresh sports broadcast schedule.

In his memoir titled “One Marshal’s Badge,” McKinney recounted that there was an agreed-upon cue for the Special Operations Group to move into the room when he uttered the word ‘surprise.’ However, when no action followed his signal, he reiterated it more emphatically: “Today is a fortunate day for you, and I have a remarkable surprise in store!”

Subsequently, a total of 25 Special Operations Group (SOG) members, each armed, stepped into the room. This pattern persisted until every one of the 101 wanted individuals was apprehended, leading to a total of 144 arrests.

Trap is now screening in theaters nationwide.

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2024-08-03 18:37