Surprisingly enjoyable...

Rating: 7/10 (29 September 2007)

This film has received some very mixed reviews but I've just got back from seeing it and enjoyed it.
It has a gripping opening, is full of tension and suspense, has well developed characters that you actually care for and features some action-packed, nail-biting scenes towards the end. I guess the only thing I can fault with this film is how predictable it is as I knew exactly how it would pan out just from watching the trailer and that is exactly what happened. I don't think it's a bad thing at all though as in an age where horror films are full of twists and turns, it's actually refreshing to see a straight-forward yet effective film that delivers.
Some say that it rips off 'Rear Window' but I personally consider it to be a modernisation of Hitchcock's classic. It should not be forgotten that Hitchcock's film was made in 1954 so modern audiences (unless they're avid Hitchcock fans) will be unaware of it. So is it not a good thing that 'Disturbia' has been made as whenever the film is mentioned, 'Rear Window' also gets mentioned so it sheds light on a great film that modern audiences may not have looked up otherwise..?
Overall, 'Disturbia' is a simple yet effective little thriller.