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). (05/10/2009)

First of all, I praise the great performance of Jodie Foster, who actually doesn't even need to heartbreakingly cry and wail to express her despair and stress, the look in her terrified eyes is enough. And Fincher's precise and, as always, brilliant direction orchestrates her acting and gives the film a typically dense and uncomfortable atmosphere that gradually builds up until it finally culminates in a powerful and unforgettable finale. I thought Panic Room would be a lot weaker than the best Fincher films, but I was wrong. This guy has done another great job. 90% (08/17/2011)

Fincher's beloved toy for entertainment, which raises credit through three aspects: the perfect atmosphere of constant unease in the house, from which the camera only emerges sporadically, the ambiguous character of Whitaker, whom you cannot guess which side they will join until the last minute, and most importantly, Jodie Foster, who can play hysterical scenes with surprising bravado, on which most of her colleagues would break their teeth. Because of her, those three stars are better, but it needed more twists and script ideas. This way, the flyovers, details, and slow-motion shots get lost in their own purposelessness several times. 70% (08/13/2007)

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%. (08/16/2008)

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. (02/11/2019)