Riveting!

Although the 'bad guys' occasionally slip into farcical behavior, the plot is tense enough and the directing is sure enough to make this film a powerful thriller. Foster, Stewart and Whittaker all relish their roles in a 'Hitchcockian' Chess game where neither side seems to have a safe move to make. The stand-off is perfect for ninety minutes of audience jumps, gasps and screams. Panic Room will make you want to shout advice at the screen!

It is a rare treat to watch a thriller that doesn't cheat by resorting to coincidence or superhuman effort in its resolution. Panic Room's success and tension both lie in the plausibility of the action.

© Written by TC Candler

How We Rated This Film TC Candler - B+ Richard Propes - B- Jacob Hall - B

Richard Propes' Comment

n/a

Jacob Hall's Comment

The problem with "Panic Room" is not with the acting, for Jodie Foster and Forrest Whitaker are both excellent. THe problem is not with direction, because David Fincher ("Fight Club" and "Se7en") nails it. The problem lies with David Koepp's script. Koepp is one of the highest paid writers in Hollywood, and his scripts always seem to morph into Blockbusters, both the good ("Spider-Man" and "Mission: Impossible") and the bad ("The Lost World: Jurassic Park"). Koepp's script contains the elements of all of his best scripts, but also the elements of his worst. Thankfully, the acting and the directing more than compensate for the script's weak points.