10
"Panic Room" is a well-made, really exciting thriller that stays interesting despite the limited location. This is one of those movies that I had seen years ago when it first came out. I’m not sure if I had simply forgotten or I hadn’t realized how great this one was because at the time I was a dumb teenager but it really is terrific.
There are many smart choices in the movie by director David Fincher, one of which is to keep the cast small. For most of the movie we only get 5 characters and that allows us to get to know them. You feel like you're inside the movie, studying everyone and trying to get the edge on them by observing their mannerisms and gauging their personality, just as the people on either side of the panic room are doing. While you’re getting inside the characters’ heads, a strong sense of urgency builds. I’m no criminal, but I know that with a robbery, you have to get in and get out quick. The longer the plot drags on, the worse it's going to get because you increase the chances of something going wrong and of you getting caught. On the side of our heroes, there are some complications that build too, so you’ve got Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart's characters that want to get out asap, and the thieves that want to get in. Everyone is either trying to find a way to trick the other party into letting them in or out of the room, or trying to find a way around the big door that’s separating everyone, or trying to force someone else to do it for them. Because the characters are intelligent, they're always trying something new and it kept me guessing as to what was going to happen next. It's really satisfying to see a movie where people act logically; always trying to sneak past each other's defences (both physical and mental/emotional) and you'll constantly be surprised by the new elements introduced. "Panic Room" is a terrific thriller that really cleverly uses its location, creates genuine thrills and exciting feelings of paranoia and claustrophobia too. (On Dvd, September 2012)