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For Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) and her daughter Sarah (Kristen
Stewart) theirs proves a godsend when, on their first night
in their new home, they discover that three men have got into
the house in search of millions of dollars belonging to the
just-deceased former owner.
Off to the panic room they hurtle and are safe in the knowledge
that these guys can't get at them. Or can they?
Unfortunately, one of the crooks installed the room and so
knows the strengths and weaknesses of the pair's hiding place.
What starts off as a haven, quickly begins to look less impregnable
and more like a trap for the mother and daughter.
Panic Room is a first-rate thriller that mixes action,
psychology, black humour and technology in a such a way that
takes your adrenalin levels from low and builds them to high
levels through nail-biting edge-of-the-seat tension.
The plot is like an intricate chess game where first one
side, then the other, has an advantage. There are a few nice
twists and turns, but it really gets serious when the writer
throws an unexpected little spanner in the defensive works.
Foster is her usual excellent self and she makes the most
of a less intense role.
Stewart is an actress to watch as she shows she can hold
her own when on-screen with one of Hollywood's heavyweights.
Forest Whitaker is the nice crook, Jared Leto the alleged
brains behind the job and Dwight Yoakam an absolutely nasty
piece of work. Occasionally the interplay between the three
is a little silly, but overall it is a very good blend of
brains, arrogance and the psychopathic.
As you would expect from a Columbia TriStar DVD the transfer
is superb, both visually and sound-wise, and you can listen
to the impeccable audio through both the 5.1 and DTS.
Heartily recommended.
Conclusion: Movie 85%, Extras 40%
Continued: DVD
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