Rating: 
Summary: Fincher's VISUALS cannot save this POORLY-WRITTEN thriller
Review: I haven't seen "Alien 3" since it's theatrical release, but I'm inclined to think that I'd watch that again than "Panic Room."Fincher fans will probably love "Panic Room" because surely, you can't go wrong with Fincher. And you can't, cause he's not the problem here. In fact, he deserves kudos for taking up a film with so many obstacles: namely, a single location, a small number of characters, and a restricted period of time in which the story takes place. But all these challenges are ones that should've been overcome at the scripting stage. Fincher isn't fighting an up-hill battle. He's trudging through the remains of a dead script. Fincher's strength - his dark and innovative visual style - gets completely overtaken by the boring, simple, unmotivated screenplay by Koepp that has several crippling weaknesses: 1) laughable dialogue with too much reliance on expletives and hokey name-calling
2) ineffective build-up of tension due to drawn-out, somewhat ridiculous plot devices
3) you never believe Foster and her daughter are in any real danger because of the presence of Whitaker's character
4) a non-engaging cat-and-mouse game because too little is happening - people are just waiting for their opponents' next move
5) minimal character development that offers no surprises That last weakness is the Achilles heel of "Panic Room." In Fincher's previous films, the twists and surprises come not in plot, but in character. "Fight Club" and "Se7en" pay off at the end because of what is revealed about Tyler and John Doe. Take note: there is not a single twist or suprise in "Panic Room," not one. And because the writing is so thin and minimal, Fincher's signature camera tricks are reduced to gimmicks that fail to further the plot or create any tension. For example, it's painfully obvious that the camera enters the keyhole for no purpose other than to point out "look! we went into a keyhole, isn't that a hoot?" With Fincher at the helm, "Panic Room" should've been an innovative, genre-defying film driven by strong, memorable characters, instead of the run-of-the-mill thriller that it is. For a slighter better suspense thriller, check out "Frailty." It faces the same challenges as "Panic Room," but Paxton's debut feature succeeds as a tense, character-driven suspense thriller with a tight plot and a quiet, but satisfying twist. The cgi-free simplicity of the direction is a refreshing change of pace from the overdone, effects-laden flicks of today.
Rating: 
Summary: GEM OF A THRILLER
Review: The real star of this movie is David Fincher, the director whose exquisite use of his camera, lighting and atmosphere elevates what could have been nothing more than a variation on "Wait Until Dark." However, Fincher blesses us with a taut, visually stirring suspense-filled thriller. Jodie Foster plays a recent divorcee who moves into an elegant brownstone with her daughter, played quite well by Kristen Stewart. One unique feature of the house is its panic room----a room to go if you're house is invaded. And lo and behold, does it get invaded! Seems like the former owner left behind some money in a safe--where else, but in the panic room!!!!
The trio of villains, quite reminiscent of those in "Wait Until Dark" have their own agenda---henchman Jared Leto (I wanted to cut off his fingers, everytime he used them to punctuate his lines); the security man who installed the panic room (a nice performance from Forest Whitaker); and the obviously demonic Dwight Yoakam, a country singer whose stone-faced evil could be called a rotten performance, but it manages to work because the character is so blatantly heartless. I, too, had some trouble seeing Jodie's character married to such an older man, and if there is any weakness, it is the lack of any rapport between Foster, Stewart and Patrick Bauchau who plays the unfortunate ex-husband, Steven. An especially tense, subtly so, sequence is when Foster sends two cops away who have come to answer her husband's phone call. There is such fierce conflict in Foster's attempts to get rid of them so the two remaining villains won't ice her daughter.
In another vein, I really admired the opening credits, the way the names appeared to be signs on some of the buildings. Clever, indeed.
Director Fincher has given us two quite exceptional movies--this one and the 1995 chiller, "Seven." Let's hope he continues to do so in the future.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Rating: 
Summary: Panic?
Review: Like all his movies, from the satirical "Fight Club" to the deep human horror of "Se7en" to the could've-been "Alien 3," Fincher's "Panic Room" is a conventional thriller loaded with a layer of subtext. Unlike "Se7en and "Fight Club," however, the plot and characters in "Panic Room" can't survive without the subtext, and what we're left with is a slick but unfulfilling little thriller. Freud would've loved the plot - frightened woman and her frail but tough daughter are trapped in the womb of a house while three would-be robbers (who might as well be named Id, Ego, and Superego) invade the home, seeking the treasure that's secure in the center of the fortress. Wow! Anyway, Fincher has fun with camera moves, funky angles, set pieces, and wonderfully muted colors...unfortunately, every self-conscious shot only magnifies his weakness with character development and true, human fear. Examine the moment when Jodie Foster's character discovers the trio in her house - why is it so muted, when it should be filling her - and us - with terror? Unfortunately, I suspect Fincher was drawn to "Panic Room" as much for its flimsy plot (more of a situation, actually) as its symbolism - the simpler the setup, the more chances to dazzle with nifty camerawork. "Panic Room" could've been a nail-biter, but it's only a mildly satisfying thriller, and a waste of most of the actors' talents.
Rating: 
Summary: The Simplest Plots Make The Most Entertaining
Review: MOVIE: David Koepp (Who wrote the screenplay) must have been seeking a challenge or something when he decided to cook this morsel up. How do you make a movie compelling when the only setting is a manhattan town home, when the main characters are stuck in one room throughout the majority of the movie, and when there are no major stunt sequences or gunfights? How do you? You get David Fincher to direct, that's how! The movie has the simplest premise yet the movie is tense and entertaining. I remember seeing the trailer for the first time and I kind of though "what a stupid idea that is", but I was wrong. What Fincher did with this movie is made the house a character of its own, the audience sees the town home from almost every angle possible, and the camera never stops. Most of the shots are CG, but the effect is astounding and without it would make this movie a sleeper. Fincher is still an amateur in my eyes, but every movie he's done (which is only a few) have been fantastic. The movie itself is one of the few that will keep you watching not because of the acting or the story but of the camera work, and the audience will never even know it. VIDEO: The movie is presented in an anamorphic widescreen at a 2.40:1 ratio. The movie is dark, very dark, and I think the video turned out great. The dark colors come out nicely. I don't see any downgrade from the Superbit version released two years ago. The video was also mastered in High Definition, so if you own a HD set and a progressive scan DVD player then you'll have the benefit. Pretty Good! AUDIO: The mix is good it's a 5.1 DD, and the sound effects come out sharp and crisp. The real sound is from Howard Shore's subtle score that is highly effective. You can listen to the film in Spanish and French too. Overall sharp and clear and top notch! PACKAGING / EXTRAS: The set comes in one of the most original box I've seen, and it's great. When you slide out the piece from the slip cover it opens up two flaps and in the center we have three discs one after another in a clear digipak case, and you can flip them like a book. They aren't cheaply made and look pretty sturdy. As for the extras we get a load of them. The Superbit release two years ago only had a trailer, and that was pathetic. Now we have one of the most extensive looks into a film ever compiled onto a DVD. This puppy can be stacked up with LOTR and Pearl Harbor in terms of extras. On disc 1 we get the movie and the options, and we get three commentaries by the director, stars, and writer. We also get the trailer and plus a few other trailers for classic movies from Columbia / Tri-star. On disc 2 we get Pre-Production which consists of 6 featurettes pre-production, interactive pre-visualizations (i.e. storyboards compared with different shots and the final). In Production we get a one hour long documentary on the principal photography, and a makeup effects featurette. On disc 3 we get the second half of Production and in that we have sequence breakdowns. Then we have the Post-Production section that consists of 21 documentaries and featurettes that focus on post visual effects work, Sound Design featurette, Digital Intermediate featurettes, Musical Score breakdown, and some other minor things. Overall this one is a whopper, a very well made DVD, worth the money even if you have the original. If you haven't seen it then I recommend this set highly, and if you're interested in film making then I order you to get it cause the "making of" doesn't get any better than this. MOVIE SCORE: (* * * *) / 5 Stars
DVD SCORE: (10/10)
Rating:
Summary: Super suspense...
Review: This is one of the best suspense thrillers I've seen in quite a while... Jodie Foster continues her legacy of perfection (or the closest thing to it) as she plays meg altman, a recently divorced (or separated?) mom who is confused about her relationships with her ex-husband and 11-year-old daugher sarah (played fabulously by Kristen Stewart). The depth of the characters in this film are a definite plus in the world of Hollywood's thrillers that leave the viewer exasperated and upset at spending 2 hours watching. So, Foster and Stewart move into a beautiful Manhattan home with a state-of-the art security system--the highlight of which is a panic room, a little area which is totally isolated from the rest of the house and protected by inpenetrable metal. Little do our heroines know that they will need to use this feature on their very first night in the house, as three very different characters (Forrest Whitaker, Jared Leto, Dwight Yoakam(!)) enter the house seeking a fortune hidden in (you guessed it) the panic room. So, after a taut scramble the two altmans get inside the room....and begin a suspenseful and sometimes funny game of cat-and-mouse (forgive me for using that phrase, but it fits) with the crooks. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a thrill, more highly recommended for fans of David Fincher.
Rating:
Summary: Panic Room
Review: Following the huge success of the excellent SE7EN and FIGHT CLUB, David Fincher's latest thriller is perhaps somewhat less impressive than his previous efforts, but there are still some gripping moments in the film that make it worthwhile. The premise provides from some effective boo! scares and shocking twists, but as a follow-up to FIGHT CLUB, this one is somewhat underwhelming. Jodie Foster shows that she's still good when it comes to this genre, and Howard Shore's brooding score racks up the tension. Creepy music is one of the key elements to making films like this scary, and Shore has proven that he can do tense, nail-biting scores (THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS) and large-scale adventure (THE LORD OF THE RINGS). Fincher's trademark stylistic M.O is full bore here, with some fantastic visual flourishes. The anti-climactic ending is the only letdown, but it's worth renting out from Blockbuster to witness another notch is Fincher's increasingly impressive style.
The DVD extras are dissapointing, with only trailers. With the popular re-re-release pattern of most DVDs, it would be advisable to wait until a 'Special Edition' comes along.
Rating:
Summary: Fight Club & Seven it aint!
Review: Using many of the same techniques he found so successful in his earlier films, David Fincher try's to weave another exciting thriller. But this time whats missing is a truly great story and script. We have seen this basic story before," Home Alone", to "Die Hard". Two very different films, but both with the same premise. Our protagonist is trapped in a building with loved ones at stake by a group of theives.
In Die Hard all the bases are covered in a fairly believable context. With Home Alone we are talking about a comedy, and kid so we have alot of room to play with what could be believable. But here we have a very intelligent adult in Jody Foster a reasonably intelligent teenage girl, and three bad guys. Two of whom aint the brightest bulbs in the box, and one who's got brains, and a decent heart. We know almost from the get go that(as the decent bad guy says) "Everythings going to be alright."
Kinda kills the suspense.
The acting is good from Forest Whitiker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakem. The teenage daughter of Fosters character played by Kristen Stewart is dead on. And as always Jody Foster is terrific.(Baring very ample and distracting cleavage this goround)
The camara moves we've come to expect from Fincher are all here on constant display, and the CGI inhancing is flawless.
The story and script are the problem. In a thriller our protaganist must do the same things we would reasonably do in order to extricate themselves from the situation. That is until the antagonists leave them no option except the extreme. Never happens here.
This DVD is excellent in quality, and quantity. Three discs woth of "how we did it" info. You will see that this was a big, expensive project. Just a shame they didnt spend more money on the script.
Rating:
Summary: Fincher's VISUALS cannot save this POORLY-WRITTEN thriller
Review: I haven't seen "Alien 3" since it's theatrical release, but I'm inclined to think that I'd watch that again than "Panic Room." Fincher fans will no doubt love "Panic Room" because surely, you can't go wrong with Fincher. And you can't, cause he's not the problem here. In fact, he deserves kudos for taking up a film with so many obstacles: namely, a single location, a small number of characters, and a restricted period of time in which the story takes place. But all these challenges are ones that should've been overcome at the scripting stage. Fincher isn't fighting an up-hill battle. He's trudging through the remains of a dead script. Fincher's strength - his dark and innovative visual style - gets completely overtaken by the boring, simple, unmotivated screenplay by Koepp that has several crippling weaknesses: 1) laughable dialogue with too much reliance on expletives and hokey name-calling
2) ineffective build-up of tension due to drawn-out, somewhat ridiculous plot devices
3) inability to believe Foster and her daughter are in any real danger because of the presence of Whitaker's character
4) a non-engaging cat-and-mouse game because too little is happening - people are just waiting for their opponents' next move
5) minimal character development that offers no surprises That last weakness is the Achilles heel of "Panic Room." In Fincher's previous films, the twists and surprises come not in plot, but in character. "Fight Club" and "Se7en" pay off at the end because of what is revealed about Tyler and John Doe. In "Panic Room," not only are the characters one-dimensional, they're also extraneous. Junior serves no practical purpose in the story - he could've simply stepped in at the middle (to bring out Raoul's wild side) and stepped out. Raoul himself doesn't do much up until that point. And Foster's daughter has no effect on the events whatsoever. She would've served the same purpose (namely, as the object of Foster's maternal instinct) if she were comatose or an infant baby. But bland characters do not doom a film. It can still be enjoyable if there's a a nice plot twist or two. Alas, there's not even a cheap surprise in store for you at the end of "Panic Room." And that's a shame because the premise sets up an intriguing question: what's in the panic room that these thieves are so anxious to get? Early in the film, Leto states to Whitaker (and the audience) what's supposed to be there. And guess what. THE VERY THING THEY EXPECT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY FIND. Booooooring. Because the screenplay is so thin and lacking, Fincher's signature camera tricks are reduced to gimmicks that fail to further the plot or create any tension. For example, it's painfully obvious that the camera enters the keyhole for no purpose other than to point out "Look! We went into a keyhole, isn't that a hoot?" With Fincher at the helm, "Panic Room" should've been an innovative, genre-defying film driven by strong, memorable characters, instead of the run-of-the-mill thriller that it is. For a slighter better suspense thriller, check out "Frailty." It faces the same challenges as "Panic Room," but Paxton's debut feature succeeds as a tense, character-driven suspense thriller with a tight plot and a quiet, but satisfying twist. The cgi-free simplicity of the direction is a refreshing change of pace from the overdone, effects-laden flicks of today.
Rating:
Summary: Good thriller
Review: A divorced woman (Jodie Foster) and her daughter (Kristen Stewart) lock themselves into the steel-reinforced "panic room" of their spacious New York brownstone to escape a trio of home invaders (Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakum). This sets the stage for a stalemate that neither side can afford. The object of the intruders' search is hidden within the panic room itself, and daughter has a medical condition which makes escape imperative. This film is a fine cat-and-mouse thriller that doesn't cheat or insult the intelligence of the viewer. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Ghost Dog Meets Clarice Starling...
Review: ...I wanted something a little more provocative seeing that Director Finscher just came off the triumph of Fight Club to do this. This is a stylish, moody movie in its own right. And the way the two ladies holed up in the panic room hold off the bad guys will keep you entertained for the duration of the movie. Whittaker comes off ultimately as a benevolent bad guy. Jodie is believable as a single mom trying to protect her offspring ala Little Man Tate. But alas, good acting and a hot director could not save this thriller from the throes of predictability. Movies like this one will occupy your time and attention and you will enjoy it, but don't ask for more than that...
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