Introduction"Panic Room" is a 2005 American suspense thriller directed by David Fincher. The script penned by David Koepp focuses on 3 guys who break into a modern New York City home, and the mother and daughter who take sanctuary in your home's panic room.
Main Characters"Panic Room" stars Jodie Foster as Meg Altman, a recently divorced lady, and Kristen Stewart as her diabetic daughter, Sarah. Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam represent the trio of burglars - Burnham, Junior, and Raoul respectively.
PlotMeg Altman, after her recent divorce settlement, purchases a four-story brownstone in New York's Upper West Side. It's a strange home developed like a castle with a panic room, a safe space with monitoring cams, separate ventilation, and a direct line to the outdoors world. On their opening night in the house, three guys - Burnham, a security professional, Junior, the grand son of the previous owner, and Raoul, a secretive gunman - break in, looking for a covert fortune.
Intrusion and First EncounterAlerted by their presence, Meg and Sarah rush into the panic room. Burnham and Junior intend to reclaim a fortune left by Junior's late grandfather, kept in a safe inside the panic room. Convinely, Burnham is a security consultant who set up the space. Raoul's motives, however, aren't so clear and appear more sinister.
Fight of WitsWhat ensues for the bulk of the movie is a fight of wits. The burglars attempt to enter into the panic room whereas Meg attempts to call for aid or get the robbers out. Meg battles frantically to secure her diabetic child, as her health condition aggravates with all her medication stuck outside the panic room. On the other hand, the stress between the burglars escalates, with contrasting strategies and diminishing perseverance.
ConclusionFinally, Meg handles to control and turn the intruders versus each other by skillfully outsmarting them. Burnham, who reveals humankind throughout the film, leaves the scene, having stopped working to secure the cash; whereas Raoul and Junior are disarmed by Meg. The film concludes with Meg taking a battered Sarah to the medical facility in an ambulance, and consequently, calling a brand-new real estate representative to search for a more secure home.
Overall Impact"Panic Room" is a well-executed thriller that effectively depicts the sheer terror of a home intrusion. The efficiencies of all stars included, especially Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart, are praise-worthy. The movie showcases Fincher's signature directorial style, with the extreme suspense-filled dramatic environment increased by Howard Shore's spooky musical score.
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