Panic Room

Panic Room falls a little short against the rest of Mr. David Fincher's oeuvre. However, it’s still a gripping story with excellent cinematography, precise direction, well-developed characters, and an outstanding Jodie Foster who really acts like her life depended on it. As a genre flick, this is one of the better, if not the best, but as far as David Fincher is concerned, slightly above average. (Though he makes up for it with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). (10/05/2009)

David Fincher knows how to dose the tension in his thrillers. It is always based on a great idea and when it starts unfolding, it is clear he really enjoys his work, scene after the scene. When I was watching Panic Room, I was quite surprised why he is currently stuck with movies which quite contradict the things he is best at. However, I enjoyed this movie. I wish they would make more harsh and exciting thrillers like this in Hollywood. But I have a feeling that movies like this one are slowly becoming rare in the States. (11/02/2019)

The B-movie thriller Fincher originally had planned just didn't work out. He deliberately wanted to take a break from the demanding production of Fight Club with something completely genre-pure that takes place in one location. Instead, it turned out to be a 150-day long shoot and one with mainstream feminist milestones, which happened sort of unexpectedly out of the blue (the originally cast Nicole Kidman was supposed to be a classic Grace Kelly-style damsel in distress, and her teenage daughter actually took on the mothering role during the film; the script had to be rewritten after Jodie Foster was cast, because Foster is typecast as a completely different type of actress). In hindsight, it's the formal purity that is the most enjoyable part. While today's home invasion films try to convey the awkwardness of the protagonists' situation through handheld camerawork and quick editing, Fincher almost never uses handheld shots, doesn't pan and therefore doesn't move his gaze, and instead builds the entire film on the gimmick that the camera can be omnipresent, no one person controls it, and therefore we can expect practically anything from it. It's a bit of a shame that the direction then has to rely on a rather unimaginative script which really pulls the subplot out of its ass at the last minute, violently, and in short when another way for the main characters to save themselves comes after ninety minutes, but somehow goes wrong again, you start to wonder more and more if it even makes sense anymore, and with that parameter you find yourself nowhere you want to be nor where the film wants you to be. (16/03/2020)

A casual viewer will hardly appreciate David Fincher's brilliant camerawork and the subtle noir atmosphere of the entire film. The script is indeed simple, but the main characters are brilliantly portrayed and the settings of the large villa, bad weather, and Jodie Foster's believable acting contribute a lot. For fans of the genre and Fincher's films, it is truly an exceptional work. For most others, however, it will likely be just an average cat and mouse game with a slightly exaggerated ending. (01/11/2003)

A decent crime thriller that is intriguing in terms of direction. While David Fincher is capable of even better films, here he works his magic with the camera, choosing unusual angles, playing with silhouettes behind doors, utilizing shadows to emphasize the atmosphere of the abandoned house. A weaker aspect is the screenplay, which occasionally stumbles (such as the late arrival of the police considering it's a luxurious prominent neighborhood) and above all, spoils the ending of the film. It could have been more imaginative; a similar ending is already familiar to audiences from many other films. As expected, Jodie Foster and Forest Whitaker dominate the cast. Overall impression: 75%. (16/08/2008)