The Panic Room Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)April 8th, 2002
Tension Fills "Panic Room"
by Homer Yen
(c) 2002
Have you heard about the newest real estate listing on the Upper West Side? Only the wealthy need apply. It's a palatial, brownstown townhome. The previous owner was an industrial tycoon who had recently passed away. And, this multi-level unit amply shows off the previous owner's wealth. Among other high-end amenities, it features six fireplaces, a working elevator, and something very unusual called the Panic Room.
This odd feature somewhat concerns Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) who is a little more than unsettled if she becomes trapped in closed quarters. But as the realtor explains, it's a feature that's very in vogue for those who have something valuable to protect. When the room is sealed from the inside, it becomes a self-sufficient, impenetrable sanctuary. Concrete and steel reinforce the exterior; an independent supply system provides air, water and electricity; and large crates contain the kind of sundries that contestants on Survivor would die for. Meanwhile, banks of video monitors let the occupants see what's going on outside.
On the first night that Meg moves in with Sarah (Kristen Stewart), her smart-alecky but always-composed daughter, three intruders break into the house. Meg and Sarah barely have enough time to lock themselves inside the panic room. Tough luck for the intruders. Or is it tough luck for Meg and Sarah? It seems that what the intruders want is in that room. Thus, the panic room becomes the focal point of the film.
"Panic Room" is a suspenseful film of moves and counter-moves. In many films of this genre, opposite sides each possess unbelievable skills or pull some cheap trick to dispatch the other. However, this film is different and allows the film to feel more real and genuinely tense.
While the intruders seem to know a lot about the panic room, they are disorganized. If they weren't so menacing, their antics would parallel those of the Three Stooges. Burnham (Forest Whitaker) hates violence, but possesses invaluable knowledge because he spent 12 years of his life building those rooms to keep people like him out. Junior (Jared Leto) has the plan, but offers little else. Meanwhile, Raoul (Dwight Yoakam) is undisciplined and prefers to make his point by pointing a pistol in someone's face. Meg and Sarah, at the outset, merely know how to press the intercom button and make empty threats. But they do have resolve.
Yet, the film is more adept than just cats scratching away to get at the mice. We also learn that as much as the intruders want to get into the panic room, Meg and Sarah want to leave as quickly as possible. There are also taut performances by Whitaker and Foster. He possesses a soft-spoken charm and elicits sympathy for his situation. Foster is brilliant as a vulnerable woman who embodies the instinctual motherly duty of caring for and protecting her young. All of this makes this better than what you might imagine from a suspense film in which there just isn't too much room to maneuver.
Grade: B
S: 0 out of 3
L: 3 out of 3
V: 3 out of 3
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
