Crime

Drama

Thriller

Panic Room

Columbia Pictures

Hofflund/Polone

Indelible Pictures

United States of America

English

Jodie Foster

Kristen Stewart

Forest Whitaker

Dwight Yoakam

Jared Leto

Patrick Bauchau

Ann Magnuson

Ian Buchanan

Andrew Kevin Walker

Paul Schulze

Mel Rodriguez

Richard Conant

Paul Simon

Victor Thrash

Ken Turner

Nicole Kidman

Ty Copeman

James Haygood

Angus Wall

Gavin Polone

David Fincher

David Koepp

Ceán Chaffin

Conrad W. Hall

Judy Hofflund

Darius Khondji

Laray Mayfield

John H. Maxwell

Doug Cowden

John Hateley

Rachel Parsons

Todd Schneider

Brandon Cox

Andy Epper

Michael Kaplan

Walter Royle

Peter Ramsey

Lanier Edwards

Lisa Guerriero

Scott Hammer

Charlie Brewer

Chris Carnel

Jill Stokesberry

Pete Turner

Kevin Derr

Cliff McLaughlin

John T. Connor

Thirl Haston

Orlando R. Gonzales

Scott R. Hankins

Mark Hadland

Terry Anderson

Bryce Moore

Danny Stephens

Joe Viskocil

Daniel R. Pemberton

Kirsten Anderson

Erin O'Donnell

Petter Eldin

Robert Todd Skaggs

Michael Kehoe

Maria Mantia

Scott Puckett

Stephen B. Howard

Janice Naehu

Katie Watkins

Jason Cox

Richard West

John Wright

Carlos P. Cunha

Edward J. Hernandez

Judith M. Brown

Carolyn Tapp

Malcolm Fife

Karen Brocco

Alyson Dee Moore

David Ebner

Jeanette Browning

Olivier Cauwet

Mary Jo Lang

Ron Frankel

S. Quinn

John Roesch

Dupuis Verbeke

Doc Kane

Persis Reynolds

Vicki Galloway Weimer

Richard Hymns

Richard Palmieri

Raymond Gieringer

Robert W. Sanders

Misa Kageyama

Akira Orikasa

Eric B. Dachs

Stephen Nakamura

Delahaye Bonnell

Boudaille Alves

Darrin Prescott

Arthur Max

Lisa Jaime

John Klepko

Ramiro Belgardt

Steven Lambert

Barbara Harris

Ren Klyce

Edward Morrison

Leslie McMinn

Bob Wagner

James E. Tocci

Jon Danniells

JoAnn Knox

Alex Olivares

John Venzon

Tom Woodruff Jr.

Dan Bradley

Fincher's often derided thriller demands repeat viewings.

Meg Altman and her daughter Sarah, move into a vast Brownstone home, this place is unique because it has a panic room, a room of safety from where no intruders can gain access. Sure enough on their first night in their new home, they are forced to flee to the room as three intruders break in to the house, but trouble is, is that what the intruders want is in the panic room itself.

From the off we know that Panic Room is going to be oozing David Fincher stylishness, the opening credits sprawled across the Manhattan skyscrape like advertising billboards, perfectly set the tone for the movie to follow. I personally think that following on from the harshness and ingenuity of "Fight Club", many were surprised at the simplicity of Panic Room's structure, this is after all a straight forward cat and mousery thriller set in one foreboding building. Yet Fincher gains much claustrophobia from such a large building setting, managing to rack up the tension in every reel. The film, in spite of the oppressive nature of the story, never sits still either. The action kicks in from the off and through a series of devilish stunts, it continues through to the pulse raising finale.

The David Koepp screenplay does not seem dark enough on the first viewing, because some of the interplay between the three intruders is actually jocular, but it never loses sight of its thriller heart. Subsequent revisits to the film reveal it to be a tightly constructed character piece, in what is practically a five character story. The real winner in that department is Jodie Foster's Meg Altman, it would have been easy for the character to be ground out as some super heroine, with death defying feats of courage masking her out as wonder woman, but Fincher has her pure and simply as a resourceful human being. She's fiercely maternal and strong and intelligent, but at her core she remains fallible, and with that she becomes believable. The other big plus point in the film is Fincher's use of the house, where his camera glides about like a phantom, a ghostly observer to the unfolding proceedings. In and out of locks and coffee pots, up and down stairs, tilts, as we track the movements of the intruders, Fincher isn't showing off, he's putting us the viewer into the mix as well.

Cast are very good, Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto and a surprisingly potent Dwight Yoakam all come together very well under Fincher's watchful eye, whilst young Kristen Stewart as Sarah puts much emotive heart into a role that could so easily have been too syrupy approaching the final act. Yes it's fair to say that one has to suspend disbelief, this is after all a home invasion thriller following a true course, but in Fincher's hands it rises above cliché to thrive on atmospherics and character dynamics. Well put together and big on ticking time bomb tension, Panic Room gets better on repeat viewings. 8/10

Andre Gonzales

Not a bad movie. She gets this new big house that she is building up. The guys working on the house come up with a plan to rob the panic room. Until the owner and her family lock themselves in the panic room to get away from them.

I recommend this movie for a fun and enjoyable watch, as it has a cute and engaging storyline. While the characters may not be very memorable, the film still offers a good time.

There are instances where the movie could benefit from less dialogue and more adventure, perhaps cutting down on certain cartoonish elements. This adjustment could enhance the overall experience and make it more captivating for the audience.

It's a great movie for kids to watch and have a good time with, although the characters may not leave a lasting impression. Dark, in particular, stands out as a potentially memorable character, while the lead character may fade from memory over time.

Despite its shortcomings, the movie is entertaining and worth watching, especially for a casual viewing session. While it may not be a film you'd revisit often, it can serve as a pleasant distraction or background entertainment during chores or other activities

Panic Room (2002) Original Trailer [FHD]

Official Trailer

Best Movies

Panic Room

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Jodie Foster

Kristen Stewart

Forest Whitaker

Dwight Yoakam

Jared Leto

Patrick Bauchau

Ann Magnuson

Ian Buchanan

Andrew Kevin Walker

Paul Schulze

Box office

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