Disturbia

Though it’s obviously inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window, with a hint of Joe Dante’s The ’burbs, Disturbia is an enjoyable teen thriller. While most teen thrillers rely on PG-13 sexual content and brutal "gross out” violence, Disturbia focuses on its smart story, strong acting and genuinely thrilling moments. When placed under house arrest for punching out his high-school Spanish teacher, Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf) spends his in-home incarceration spying on his neighbours. One night Kale witnesses some odd behaviour from his reclusive next-door neighbour Mr. Turner (David Morse). Enlisting the help of Ronnie (Aaron Yoo), his best friend, and Ashley (Sarah Roemer), the sexy girl next door, the trio begin to investigate the possibility that their peaceful suburban neighbourhood has been invaded by a serial killer. Director D.J. Caruso deserves credit for taking a script that could easily have been just another teen rip-off of a classic film and creating a decent thriller that stands on its own merits. As well, Shia LaBeouf (star of this summer’s blockbuster Transformers) gives a sympathetic performance as an emotionally damaged teen. The Disturbia DVD is packed with extras, including a pop-up trivia track filled with facts about the movie and other related information, an energetic and entertaining commentary by actors Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer and director D.J. Caruso, the requisite "making of” featurette, some inconsequential deleted scenes and outtakes, a music video and a photo gallery. The solid writing, directing and cast make Disturbia worth watching for anyone who likes thrillers, regardless of whether they fit into the "teen” demographic this movie was marketed towards.