In 1954, Alfred Hitchcock's thriller Rear Window became an instantaneous classic. In its story of a disabled photographer (Jimmy Stewart) discovering foul play in the window of his neighbor's apartment, the film got in touch with America's inner voyeur. As viewers witnessed the protagonist himself witnessing murder and suspense through his binoculars, it became clear how much we humans love to watch. The film served as a precursor for today's culture where spectacle dominates the airwaves. Whether we are witnessing high-pursuit car chases or a hidden camera special on HBO, there is always that sense of satisfaction achieved from undetectably breaching the circle of privacy. Compared to the 1950s, we are very much a culture that loves to watch, and it comes as no surprise that Hitchcock's masterpiece has been updated to match the new millennium. That film is D.J. Caruso's teen thriller Disturbia.
Instead of an older and sophisticated Jimmy Stewart, our protagonist is teenager Kale (Shia LaBeouf). After popping his Spanish teacher in the face, Kale is sentenced to three months of house arrest. His fed-up mother (Carrie-Anne Moss decked out in housewife attire rather than a leather Matrix get-up) discontinues his luxuries of X-Box Live and I-Tunes. To cure his boredom, Kale grabs his binoculars and takes an interest in the neighborhood. He acquaints himself with the suburban dirt around his home including cheating spouses and adolescents engaging in porn-viewing. However, the real scandal seems to be in the home of his next-door neighbor, Mr. Turner (David Morse). The middle-aged hermit invites the occasional club girl over to his place for a night of dinner, dancing, and aggressive chasing around his house. However, things begin to get real fishy when signs of bloodshed enter the picture.
As Kale takes an interest in his neighbor, so too do his skittish best friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo) and the flirtatious girl-next-door Ashley (Sarah Roemer) join in on the spying. With their state-of-the-art cameras and computer equipment, they watch Mr. Turner's every move. It is not long before their actions are noticed, and the kids must come face-to-face with the ambiguously sinister neighbor.
I think it is fitting to address the weaker points of Disturbia. Obviously, the film travels already-tread waters with its Hitchcockian storyline. As the thrills build, so do the clichés as one "jump-out-and-scare-you" gag is utilized after another. The storyline is even predictably straightforward.
With this being said, I will come clean and admit my fondness for this film. Disturbia is not an original concept, but it plays the hand it is dealt with skill and intensity. Perhaps this observation comes from my upbringing in the caboose-end of Generation X, but the film's celebration of the post-September 11th, I-Pod generation could not be more obvious. This keen eye toward contemporary American attitudes is a key component in Disturbia's suspenseful thrust. Hitchock's Rear Window was released in the 1950s when Communist paranoia was at its peak. The similar premise of Disturbia could not be timelier in an era of terrorist alerts and the Patriot Act. The layer is thickened as the kids use their new-fangled video-phones and digital camcorders to monitor their suspicious neighbor. These gadgets seem so convenient, yet they are accurate in reflecting an age where privacy has suddenly gone global. Even Mr. Turner himself delivers a monologue expressing his disdain for America's loss of privacy and infusion of paranoia. Indeed, the mysterious Mr. Turner hits the nail on the head as the film so unsubtly fills us with anxiety that no secret is safe in today's world.
In addition to this clever reference to contemporary America, director D.J. Caruso (The Salton Sea) slides comfortably into this thriller. While reliant on the occasional, cheap jump, Disturbia is primarily dependant on genuine suspense. Rather than "wham-bam" moments, the thrills here are stretched out in every scene leaving its viewers with a feeling of helplessness. Of course, I mean this as a positive thing. By positioning the spectator behind Kale's binoculars, we too become a part of his obsession with the lives of others.
The performances here are also praise-worthy. The up-and-coming Shia LaBeouf is fitting as the average teen obsessed with digital immersion. In fact, all of the young actors here develop their characters as sharp-witted kids. Lately, I've found myself turned off by teen films, and I've blamed this on my age. However, after seeing Disturbia, I've realized that most teen films depict kids as emotionless and ditzy ADD victims that use the word "like" as a power adjective. It was easy for me to enjoy this film because its teen protagonists actually use their heads. While obsessed with their digital toys, they intelligently utilize them to solve a murder mystery. There is even a rather clever and voyeuristic love story that develops between two of the young characters. The recognizable David Morse is also shady and well-cast as the possible villain next-door
I could expose Disturbia for its occasional hack moments, but I think I would unfairly dismiss its potential. The fact of the matter is, I enjoyed watching this film from start to finish. Disturbia is a slick thriller that crafts a trite teen movie into an intriguing reflection of post-9/11 voyeurism. This will not go down as a masterpiece, but it will deliver an intense, theater-going experience.
Questions? Comments? Just want to talk movies? Drop me a line at dodd@movieweb.com
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