Disturbia does what it promises and makes for a terrific thriller

Rating: 8/10 (26 April 2007)

From the opening scenes to the death defying close Disturbia is the further thing from your run of the mill teen suspense flick. This is the type of thriller anyone would enjoy going to the movies to see. A strong cast, a well paced story, terrific character developments and enough jumps and shocking suspense to keep you riveted to your seat. Within the first five minutes of the film I promise your mouth will hang open and you jump out of your seat from the terrifying beginning that sets the emotional pace for the rest of the film. Director D.J. Caruso, who is mostly known for his Television work does something really remarkable with this script and creates an impending sense of doom and suspicion that so many critics and fans are comparing to Hitchcock's Rear Window. That's not a bad thing to be compared to, Rear Window is considered by many to be the best suspense film ever made. None of the film makers have claimed this to be a remake or based on but nonetheless the comparison is there and it doesn't mean the film isn't worth seeing. On the contrary Disturbia is perhaps one of the best movies out there right now to see on the big screen and is sure to be a smash.
Up and coming star Shia LaBeouf who has a big year ahead of him with Transformers and has been on my radar ever since Holes and The Greatest Game Ever Played grows up a little and plays troubled teenager Kale, who gets himself into trouble when he punches a teacher. In hopes of rehabilitating young Kale the judge sentences him to three months of house arrest using an electronic ankle bracelet that disables Kale's ability to leave any where further than his own yard. That pretty much establishes the tone. LaBeouf is easy to watch on screen, has a commanding screen presence for such a young actor and is very versatile and down to earth. I think any teenager could relate to him and an adult can enjoy his performance thoroughly. Aaron Yoo is kind of the stereotypical best friend, the over zealous, comedian who is almost destined to die at the hands of the killer. But Yoo does a good job and makes you care about his character and is an important part of the chemistry between the main characters. Yoo and LeBeouf have good chemistry opposite each other. Relative newcomer Sarah Roemer makes her starring debut as the eye candy and love interest in the film, Ashley. Right from her first scene they are shooting her waist down from behind and putting her in bikini's and wet clothes and making sure the teenage boys in the audience aren't going anywhere. Granted Roemer is a beautiful girl but fortunately for her and us she shows more depth once she becomes a bigger player in the plot. Roemer and LaBeouf are downright hot together and have a terrific romance and actually adds a whole new element to the story despite the rather creepy way they meet (Kale spying on her from his window.) She also turns in a strong female performance. Carrie-Anne Moss takes a bit of back seat as Kale's frustrated mother. Her role is small but she does well when she's on screen. And finally but certainly not least, one of my favorite character actors Mr. David Morse who has stunned and shocked in so many great performances from TV's House to The Crossing Guard to Bait...he always makes a great bad guy, while still remaining so calm and almost likable. Morse once again brings that to Disturbia as the next door neighbor that Kale begins to get suspicions of. Half of Morse's performance is in his eyes, his body language and his voice. It's just enthralling and hypnotic and you want to like the guy but you easily believe he's a cold blooded killer. He is the perfect adversary to LaBeouf's hero.
I don't think there is anyone who can't find something incredibly watchable and enjoyable about Disturbia. The beauty of it is it's layers because it's so much more than just about the neighbor who might be a serial killer. As LaBeouf mentions in one scene "Welcome to Disturbia" because Disturbia is more than just that aspect. It's the man across the road having the affair on his wife with the maid, it's the new people next door fighting all the time, it's himself being confined to his room and spying on everyone...that's Disturbia. This film is brilliant and a terrific action thriller. Definitely check this one out for a good time at the movies or later on DVD release!! 8.5/10