This statement will not make me very popular, but whatever. I think "Rear Window" is one of the most overrated movies of all times. I love the Master of Suspense, and worship practically all his movies, but not that one. Hence, I wasn't really in a hurry to see this post 2000 re-interpretation of the same story, despite the overall positive reviews "Disturbia" was receiving and despite the confidence I have in director D. J Caruso since "The Salton Sea".
The film starts out overly melodramatic, with young protagonist Kale and his father getting involved in a tragic car accident after a delightful afternoon of bonding. The father dies, which turns Kale into an emotionally numb and rebellious teenager. After punching his Spanish teacher in the nose, Kale is sentenced to house arrest with an ankle bracelet. So, purely out of boredom, the boy develops a close friendship with a pair of binoculars and starts spying on his neighbors. There's the couple across the street who are involved in an affair, the gorgeous new neighbor girl who sits on her roof and goes into her pool with lovely bikinis, and the creep on the other side who mows his lawn every day and might just be the sadist serial killer whose crimes are all over the news.
To be totally honest, "Disturbia" delivered everything I could hope for regarding this sort of thriller. It's fast-paced and compelling, with a skillful director in charge who knows exactly at what times there is a need for tension peaks, red herrings, fake jump scares, and even - quite surprising - a bit of grueling gore during the finale. Many sequences will be stretching out your suspension of disbelief, but it's very tolerable. Performances are good, from the younger cast as well as by the lovely Carrie-Anne Moss as desperate mother/widow, and by David Morse as the weirdo/potential killer.
The film starts out overly melodramatic, with young protagonist Kale and his father getting involved in a tragic car accident after a delightful afternoon of bonding. The father dies, which turns Kale into an emotionally numb and rebellious teenager. After punching his Spanish teacher in the nose, Kale is sentenced to house arrest with an ankle bracelet. So, purely out of boredom, the boy develops a close friendship with a pair of binoculars and starts spying on his neighbors. There's the couple across the street who are involved in an affair, the gorgeous new neighbor girl who sits on her roof and goes into her pool with lovely bikinis, and the creep on the other side who mows his lawn every day and might just be the sadist serial killer whose crimes are all over the news.
To be totally honest, "Disturbia" delivered everything I could hope for regarding this sort of thriller. It's fast-paced and compelling, with a skillful director in charge who knows exactly at what times there is a need for tension peaks, red herrings, fake jump scares, and even - quite surprising - a bit of grueling gore during the finale. Many sequences will be stretching out your suspension of disbelief, but it's very tolerable. Performances are good, from the younger cast as well as by the lovely Carrie-Anne Moss as desperate mother/widow, and by David Morse as the weirdo/potential killer.