Panic Room - Tight little thriller

I do like films that are basically set in a single location and hardly need any special effects, fancy sets or intricate action set-pieces to work.  They're a hard trick to pull off.  They risk either being called 'cheap,' or simply 'boring' because they don't really go anywhere.  Luckily, 'Panic Room' is an example of a good little film that doesn't need action, special effects, or multiple locations to be tense and engaging.  Of course casting Jodie Foster in the lead never hurts either.

She plays a single mother who moves into a large New York apartment with her teenage daughter (a near unrecognisable Kristen Stewart).  Unsurprisingly, this building comes complete with a small, secure 'panic room' which can be used should a trio of burglars ever break into your house late one night.  Guess what happens when they move in?

Yes, three men (including Forest Whitaker and Jared Leto) break in, forcing Foster and Stewart) to take refuge in the titular location and do their best to launch some sort of 'counter offensive' from there.

Now, I know most people will just ask, 'Why doesn't she then call the police?' Well, the film's script does a decent enough job of explaining why no 'obvious' option is available to her from then on, so - in terms of the movie's plot - it does all make sense and you don't have to suspend your disbelief too much to appreciate it.

The whole film takes place within the apartment (which, sometimes does come across as more of a 'mansion' due to its size than any flat that I've ever been in!) and, despite the set's size, it still gives off a nicely claustrophobic atmosphere.  All performances are good here (but then you'd probably expect that from the talent on the cast list) and the film is still as good today as it ever was.

If you're looking for a decent little thriller to watch this will certainly kill an hour and a half and you won't feel like you've wasted your time.  Interestingly, it's also directed by a well-known (and highly competent) director - David Fincher - yet somehow, in my opinion, it never really felt like part of his body of work.  Still good though.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that