00s Movie Review - Panic Room

Director: David Fincher
Genre: Thriller/ Crime/ Drama
Runtime: 112 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, Dwight Yoakam

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 41: A MOVIE MADE BY DAVID FINCHER

Description: A divorced woman (Jodie Foster) and her diabetic daughter (Kristen Stewart) take refuge in their newly-purchased house’s panic room, when three men break-in, searching for a missing fortune.

Review: Meg Altman, recently divorced from the rich Stephen, moves into a new house with her daughter Sarah. It is a beautiful building; three floors, hardwood floors, an elevator and… a very special room. The previous owner was a paranoid rich guy who had a shelter build, a so-called panic room. This room has concrete walls with thick steel plates, its own telephone circuit, an intercom system with security cameras and enough supplies to survive a small war. On their first night in the house, Meg and Sarah go to sleep quietly while a big thunderstorm rages outside. They don’t realize that three burglars are accessing their house. The intruders didn’t expect anyone to have inhabited the house, so they are just as surprised. Just in the nick of time Meg and Sarah manage to escape into the panic room, closing themselves in. Meg did forget to connect the separate phone line, which means they are safe from the burglars, but also trapped like rats. Because what the men are looking for, is in that room.  
“Panic Room” is a very exciting thriller. Most outstanding is the flawless camerawork, which looks amazing. But also the editing and directing, combined with an atmospheric soundtrack. From the smoot and beautiful computer-enhanced camera movement through the house, to the oppressive dark cinematography, everything has been done to maximize the tension.
Jodie Foster shows what and excellent actress she is. And so does a very young Kristen Stewart. Forest Whitaker shines as the sympathetic bad guy.
What makes the film so exciting is the interaction between the two ‘camps’ of Meg and Sarah versus the burglars. They keep outsmarting each other and that creates an unprecedented tension. Unfortunately, director David Fincher has not received the praise he deserves with this film. And although movies like “Se7en” and “Fight Club” are of course better and are now modern classics, “Panic Room” is an exciting thriller and an underestimated work of a director in his element.

Rating: 4/ 5