The outrageous slasher comedy on Tubi is equal parts magic and maniac
Pa Robert Succi
| Published
If there’s one thing I love more than a good horror comedy, it’s one made against Walt Disney’s wishes thanks to Willie’s steamer will become public property in 2024. Seizing the opportunity to create a slasher film based on Mickey Mouse, writer Simon Phillips and director Jaime Bailey have announced their intention to produce mousetrap, and released the trailer on January 1, 2024, the day copyright laws no longer apply to intellectual property, as if they’d been waiting their whole lives for that moment. The end result is a teenage slasher in which the antagonist bears an uncanny resemblance to Willie’s steamer iteration of Mickey Mouse, as later depictions of the character are still protected by copyright law.
Getting the legal Mumbo Jumbo out of the way
Earlier A trap for mice begins its gory act, a massive disclaimer slowly scrolls across the screen, informing the audience that “This production is not sponsored, endorsed, or affiliated with DisneyThe Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates and/or third party licensors.” The disclaimer continues for comical time, letting everyone know that they made several phone calls to confirm that Disney wanted absolutely nothing to do with the film, “legally or emotionally,” but only before admitting that the disclaimer itself is “a generic space scroll … not to be confused with Lucas Films and its subsidiaries or third-party licensors”.
Of course, all this introduction to A trap for mice it’s a joke in itself, but there was obviously some fear of legal ramifications associated with the project, so why not be completely tongue-in-cheek if you can?
Mousetrap frame
The events depicted in A trap for mice is told in retrospect from the prison cell occupied by Rebecca (Mackenzie Mills), the sole survivor of the amusement center massacre. Reticent at first, Rebecca is reluctant to open up to detectives Cole (Damir Kovic) and Marsha (Nick Biskupek) about what happened before she was locked up because she fears for her life. In order to prove her innocence, Rebecca must lead the detectives through the night because she is currently the main person of interest as she is the only person who made it out of the entertainment center alive.
It should be noted, however, that Rebecca’s story is dubious at best because her recollection of events includes exchanges that took place when she was supposedly not there.
Storytelling aside, A trap for mice jumps back and forth from Rebecca’s interrogation to Funhaven, the entertainment center where Alex (Sophie Mackintosh) and Jaina (Madeline Kelman) work. Nearing the end of their shift, Alex and Jaina are approached by their boss, Tim (Simon Phillips), who asks them to be a few hours late due to a last-minute booking. Disappearing into the back office, Tim pours himself a drink and watches Willie’s steamer on his projector until he is distracted by Mickey’s collectible mask taunting him with a demonic voice, prompting him to put it on.
Tim wanders off laughing and that’s the last time he’s ever seen him…or so everyone must think.
Start a bloodbath
Unbeknownst to Alex at the time, the group due to arrive consists of her friends, who I won’t list because you know you’re going to A trap for mice that no one made it out alive, so why get attached? Meanwhile, whoever appears to be Tim is still wearing the Mickey mask, chains and padlocks on all the doors, ensuring that no one can escape Funhaven.
Now that you’ve seen at least one slasheryou almost know where A trap for mice is going on at this point. One by one, Killer Mickey, who inexplicably possesses the ability to teleport, kills everyone in his path, letting out a shrill laugh with each stab and slash.
From now on, A trap for mice does every classic slasher imaginable in unashamedly stylish fashion.
That couple that wanders into a jungle gym to make love? Don’t get too attached. Saying the phrase “I’ll be right back” immediately becomes a death sentence. and of course of course Everyone’s cell phone is placed in a bag so that everyone can live in the moment and not perish. Except in this case, not being able to roll a birthday scroll pretty much decides everyone’s fate.
Magical and manic
A trap for mice doesn’t set out to reinvent the slasher genre, but rather celebrates familiar beats we’ve all seen before in the most ridiculous way possible. While I originally wished I hadn’t seen Tim wearing a mask at the beginning of the movie, meaning he’s the only person who could be the killer, going into this movie without the slightest hint of a mystery makes it all the more enjoyable.
A trap for mice shouldn’t make you think, and there’s no big reveal.
In fact, five minutes into the movie you know exactly what’s going to happen (by design), allowing you to mindlessly enjoy the violence knowing what’s going to happen as a viewer while everyone else doesn’t.
You can stream A trap for mice is free on Tubi as of this writing, and I highly recommend you invite your friends over to witness the spectacle that is Mickey Mouse’s murderous rampage.
English