Panic Room (2002)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

David Fincher

Writer (WGA):

David Koepp (written by)

Release Date:

29 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

It was supposed to be the safest room in the house

Plot:

A woman and her teenage daughter become imprisoned in the panic room of their own house by 3 criminals.

Plot Keywords:

Break In | Home | Diabetic | Panic Room | Cat And Mouse

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Jodie Foster	...	Meg Altman
Kristen Stewart	...	Sarah Altman
Forest Whitaker	...	Burnham
Dwight Yoakam	...	Raoul
Jared Leto	...	Junior
Patrick Bauchau	...	Stephen Altman
Ann Magnuson	...	Lydia Lynch
Ian Buchanan	...	Evan Kurlander
Andrew Kevin Walker	...	Sleepy Neighbor
Paul Schulze	...	Officer Keeney
Mel Rodriguez	...	Officer Morales
Richard Conant	...	SWAT Cop
Paul Simon	...	SWAT Cop
Victor Thrash	...	SWAT Cop
Ken Turner	...	SWAT Cop

Also Known As:

Safe Room (USA) (working title)
The Panic Room (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

112 min | Spain:113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18PL | Malaysia:U (cut) | New Zealand:R16 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Belgium:16 (TV rating) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Belgium:KT (cinema release) | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | Canada:R (DVD rating) | Finland:K-15 | France:U (with warning) | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:R-18 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Though set in New York, the film was primarily shot in Los Angeles.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Meg starts searching for a "chocolate bar" once Sarah's sugar level drops, Sarah says she had already searched in the box and had found nothing. Yet we clearly see standard U.S. Military M.R.E. (meal ready to eat) packages which include a high sugar ration (in the form of, or in addition to, a dessert with the meal itself and sugar to be used with the included instant coffee), when Sarah was first searching.

Quotes:

Meg: Is that Morse Code?
Sarah: No, SOS.
Meg: Where did you learn that?
Sarah: Titanic!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Gilmore Girls: We Got Us a Pippi Virgin (#5.5)" (2004)

Well acted action-thriller, weak conclusion

David Fincher directs this cleverly conceived thriller about a mother and daughter trapped inside a panic room by three criminals. The film is well-paced and the camera work is slick. The film does well in exploring the confines of the house. Jodie Foster is effective and maintains a high intensity throughout. Kristen Stewart is decent as her daughter. Forest Whitaker plays a slightly sympathetic criminal and does well. Unfortunately, after an engrossing game of cat and mouse, the conclusion is weak. Staple clichés crop up and the film goes for a crowd-pleasing finale that doesn't quite feel right. Still watchable.

Overall 7/10