As initiation into a gang, Andrew (Christopher Michael Johnson) has been tasked with killing a random person. Everyone in the gang has gone through this initiation, and Andrew’s is being overseen by Rell (Herve Ambwa). By the time the night is through, Andrew will know whether he can take another human’s life, and exactly where that line is or isn’t drawn.
Kali Baker-Johnson’s short film, Trap Boys, is an intense character study, and an intriguing one. As Andrew battles with whether he can follow through, it becomes all the more interesting exactly what it is about the potential murder that really bothers him, and what it would take for him to kill another person. The answers, as you would suspect, are complex, but fascinating at the same time.
It’s altogether a straightforward affair for the short, starring just the two characters and focused on their interactions and reactions. At the same time, the film is gifted with a great eye for composition and bolstered by two wonderful performances by Johnson and Ambwa. The edit brings it all together, and the film never falters in its short running time.
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