Sort By: By Genre  |  By Rating  |  By Year

Panic Room

Starring: Jodie Foster
Director: David Fincher
Genre: Thriller
Year: 2002
Rating: 3 / 5

Director David Fincher is understandably lauded for his fine work in Fight Club, his twisted tale that added a whole new army of devotees to his camp. While that film may not be the equivalent of its predecessor Seven, it succeeds because of its brazen boldness and its fresh originality. Unfortunately, Panic Room lacks these two characteristics, causing to it be a capable, if disappointing, thriller. David Fincher is a victim of his own success, a man singled out for his brilliance yet forever trying to live up to it. Panic Room, little more than a run-of-the-mill thriller with an above-average cast, is merely the byproduct of one man's quest to rediscover the success which has brought him such fame and fortune.

Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) is looking for an upscale, urban home to share with her teenage daughter Sarah (Kristen Stewart). Her ex-husband has traded her in for a newer (read: younger) model, leading Meg to spare no expense when it comes to finding her new domicile. When her real estate agent shows her a mammoth - and rather expensive, I am quite certain - dwelling, complete with an elevator, four floors, and - you guessed it - a panic room, a resigned Meg scoops it up. The very first night in the new home, however, three criminals come knocking at the door. Before anything else can happen, Meg and her daughter dart for the security of the panic room, leaving their angered foes to ponder how to get their prize - the millions of dollars secretly stored in that very room.

A couple things are essential to appreciate Panic Room, first and foremost being the film's lead, Jodie Foster. Out on her own for the first time, Meg Altman must put on a brave face for her spunky daughter Sarah, lest both take the time to consider what has become of their lives. At the same time, Meg needs to be able to summon the courage to deal with the dangers brought about by this frightening assault. Foster is able to convey the mixed emotions Meg feels at the film's onset, while also showcasing her inner rage when the intruders threaten her daughter's life. A two-time Academy Award recipient, Jodie Foster merely inherited the role of Meg Altman when Nicole Kidman, injured while filming Moulin Rouge had to pull out. Fortunately, she proves more than capable as a woman pushed to her limits.

In addition, one must be pulled into the harrowing nature of our hero's plight. For whatever reason, this is where I sensed some sort of disconnect with David Fincher's film. The three thieves - played by Forest Whitaker, Dwight Yoakam, and Jared Leto - who break into the Altman house are all portrayed by capable actors, yet I never really bought into their circumstances. Fincher attempts to break from conformity be providing us with three-dimensional characters rather than cardboard villains. Instead, he ends up toeing the line, producing characters that are neither menacing nor fully flushed out. As these three eventually begin to turn on each other, we are left to puzzle over their motivations and their peculiar changes of heart. Throw in some formulaic lapses in logic from both the Altmans and their would-be burglars and Panic Room has the makings of a film that is entertaining if not truly memorable.

Cast:

Certification: Rated R for violence and language.
Running Time: 112 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
Comments: Send E-mail