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Disturbia (2007)

Director: D.J. Caruso

Time Out rating

Average user rating

21 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Audience demographics and business imperatives now dictate that every classic Hollywood movie be remade for 12 to 25-year-olds. Hack director DJ Caruso’s slick, adolescent reworking of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Rear Window’ fuses John Hughes-style teen comedy with the darker suburban paranoia of Joe Dante’s ‘The ’burbs’. You’ll jump as if you’ve had electrodes attached to your sensitive parts; but when your nerve endings stop tingling, your brain won’t remember a thing.

Having lost his father in a road accident and punched out his Spanish teacher, mixed-up 17-year-old Kale (Shia LaBeouf) is fitted with an electronic tag that is activated if he strays more than 100 yards from his home. With the help of his nerdy tech-wizard pal Ronnie (Aaron Yoo), who also gets to do most of the legwork, Kale rigs up surveillance equipment and spies on his neighbours. Of particular interest is the new girl-next-door, Ashley (Sarah Roemer), but also the secretive Mr Turner (David Morse), who Kale becomes convinced is a serial killer.

The screenplay by Christopher Landon and Carl Ellsworth (‘Red Eye’) works best in the quieter, creepier scenes, where the threat is implied through hushed dialogue or telling (returned) looks. Sadly, the subsequent switch from playful voyeurism to life-threatening violence is abrupt, brutal and unconvincing. Also, it’s hard to work up the same emotional interest in three standard-issue teens (and Carrie-Anne Moss’s harassed mother) that one could invest in the urbane, wheelchairbound James Stewart and the glamorous Grace Kelly. That said, David Morse is physically and psychologically terrifying, and Caruso efficiently cranks up the tension and jeopardy during the extended finale.

Author: Nigel Floyd

Time Out London Issue 1934: September 12-18 2007

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User reviews of this film

Nazia said...

Posted on Dec 13 2010 20:07 Not a film that i would entirely recommend to an 18-25 year old young adult really!

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Lee said...

Posted on May 13 2009 20:04 I was really surprised with this film. Me and my friends went round our mates and my girlfriend's best friend chose this film out. I was a bit confused at the start with the fishing but once we had the crash I was like "Holy Crap" and from there the film was great!
Most consider this a thriller but I'd say it was a good mix of thriller and horror. The thriller part of the film (which is most of it) was really good!
I was wondering what was going on when Kale and his friends were watching Turner and at certain parts I expected him to jump out and kill someone. And when he didn't but the characters were missing I was completely hooked! There was one big in the film that I exc;aimed "Oh hell no!" and it turned out to be a joke on Kale.
Once we got into the horror part I was amazed. THe direction was good, I was wondering where Turner was and when we had the gore (some will know what I'm talking about) I was seriously disturbed and even felt sorry for Kale.
The finale was epic and satisfying. I felt one reason the horror parts of the film worked so well was because we were able to get to know the characters and begin to care for them. And when we thought they were dead we were seriously worried.
One of the best films I've seen in years. If most horrors were like this we wouldn't have Rob Zombie ruining Halloween!

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mel said...

Posted on Oct 04 2007 20:08 loved it! go see it, ul not be disappointed! :) x

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Kiesha said...

Posted on Oct 03 2007 17:38 Well i went to see it with my friend and we both quite ejoyed it! I thought it would be a bit better but i still liked it. Its a bit predictable though. has a few jumpy moments and a few jokes.

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Beth said...

Posted on Oct 03 2007 15:46 Too be honest, not a bad fim really. Got my moneys worth. Bit creepy!

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smoochy sammy said...

Posted on Oct 02 2007 16:53 it wasn't that good fair dos it mite have good plot to it but wasn't jumpy or scary and you could have guessed what would have happened not that interesting

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sarah said...

Posted on Oct 01 2007 14:22 one of the worst films i've ever seen , was so boring and half the film was spent staring at the girl next door who happened to be in a bikini or skirt half the time. Very , Very dissapointed and would not reccomend anyone to go and see this unless you are a young male and 15yrs old .

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Stuart Hawkins said...

Posted on Sep 27 2007 06:22 A great film! I'd give it 5star! So gripping, but i real shock at the start, something involving a car crash, so realistic! If you think that you'll enjoy this film, then go and see it asap :)

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Em said...

Posted on Sep 26 2007 18:42 Started off very good but a very violent and unconvincing ending. Wouldn't watch again!

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FilmBuff said...

Posted on Sep 25 2007 21:16 Brilliant... Shia buff was great, the story line was really interesting some humerous bits also.
Its a must seee!

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ash again said...

Posted on Sep 25 2007 17:10 sorry about spell stufff went a bit wrong! lol bi GO C THE FILM!

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Ash said...

Posted on Sep 25 2007 17:08 It was really good. i loved the thriller bits a gore. It was jumpy but i some how a good thng i guess lol anyway i guess ian is reight it did a bit OTT but still great film. everyone must go see it noooooowwwww go on!

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Haylie & Kerrie said...

Posted on Sep 23 2007 18:38 This Films Amayzing Mayte ;)
Lol
x

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Steve Taylr said...

Posted on Sep 17 2007 17:18 absolutley amazing :)

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Vikki said...

Posted on Sep 17 2007 09:11 Great film, great injection of humour but at the same time has the gorey bits and jumpy bits. Recommended

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