Honoring the innovative concept of M. Night Shyamalan's Trap, I created my list of best films that happen mostly in one setting or in the same place. Not a lot of rules or criteria, but I selected these films based on a few things:
A) Most of the film happens in the same place
B) The stakes are high
C) We need a hero or heroine
D) Set pieces or locations.
So let’s start with the ranking and let’s have some fun!
Honorable mentions: The Call, Money Monster, The Poseidon Adventure, Unstoppable, Glass Onion, The Strangers, Passenger 57, Panic Room, Under Siege, and Crimson Tide.
10. Air Force One - Hijacking the President’s plane, Gary Oldman as the villain, and Harrison Ford as the President? Come on. I’m so in.
9. Die Hard 2: Die Harder - It's a sequel that deserves more love, that came on the heels of its predecessor and is a “hard” task (no pun intended). The movie takes place mostly in an airport, and has Bruce Willis getting his ass kicked all over the airport (we love Bruce). Yup, I am sold.
8. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) - Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw chew every scene here in this gripping thriller about the hijack of this subway train. If you haven’t seen it, run and watch it.
7. Phone Booth - Joel Schumacher is a director who will always have a special place in my heart. One of the reasons is this banger. It's a simple concept when Colin Farrell’s character picks up the phone and luckily for him, Kiefer Sutherland is on the other line…but armed with a sniper’s rifle. Fastest 80 minutes you’ll ever have. What a banger.
6. Sudden Death - Let’s go back to the 90’s. In game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, a terrorist has taken the Vice President hostage. Our hero, Jean-Claude Van Damme, is working security and his children are attending the game. Say no more. Trust me. You’ll be surprised how much fun this one is.
5. Speed - Do I need to say anything about one of my favorite action films of all time? Nope. This is a classic. Keanu Reeves has never been better.
4. Titanic- This feels like cheating, but most of the film happens inside the boat. Even so, it's one of the greatest films ever made.
3. Red Eye - Wes Craven made this so that Shyamalan could make Trap. Even though they're two different films, having a psychopath next to you on a flight, and threatening to kill your father is no fun. But wait, it's lots of fun because Cillian Murphy and Rachel McAdams are tremendous together. Campy, but lots of fun.
2. Alien - Of course, I was not going to leave this one behind. Ridley Scott introduced us to one of the most memorable creatures in cinema, the Xenomorph. Inside a spaceship, actually in “space where no one can hear you scream”. Best tagline ever.
1. Die Hard - The mother of all of them. I can’t recall how many films have tried, including the sequels, to replicate everything that works perfectly here and they haven’t been able to do so. Badass villain, an everyman hero, has incredible set pieces, and a perfect location, Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. Die Hard is the perfect Christmas movie and it opened the door to so many bangers. “Yippee-ki-yay!”
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