Intermission: Visually innovative 'Panic Room' delivers tense thrills

|tab|

"Panic Room"|ret||ret||tab|

Directed by: Peter Fincher|ret||ret||tab|

Starring: Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, Dwight Yoakam|ret||ret||tab|

Rated: R|ret||ret||tab|

Now that the 74th Academy Awards are behind us a fact that apparently hasn't sunken in to the folks who run the theater I just came from, as they're still running a commercial for the event we can only look ahead to the 75th. |ret||ret||tab|

Actress Jodie Foster is likely to be on the list of nominees, as is director David Fincher.|ret||ret||tab|

Fincher always has had a penchant for the dark and disturbing (no, I'm not referring to the fact that he directed several videos for Madonna) as he's shown in all of his work from the much ma-ligned "Alien 3" to "Seven" to "The Fight Club." |ret||ret||tab|

He's also one of the most visually innovative directors working today, and there are scenes in his latest film, "Panic Room," that will make the astute viewer wonder, "How the heck did they do that?" His use of live action enhanced with digital manipulation is seamless, and some of the shots are simply astounding. Even the opening credits break new ground.|ret||ret||tab|

Thankfully Fincher doesn't overuse these effects they take place mostly in the all-important setup and the real fun, and terror, derives from a decent screenplay by Hollywood hot property David Koepp, great acting and finely honed direction. "Panic Room" is one of my favorite films of the year and can take its place alongside such claustrophobic thrillers as "The Desperate Hours," "Lady in a Cage" and "Wait Until Dark."|ret||ret||tab|

Jodie Foster plays Meg Altman, re-cently divorced from a very wealthy, if somewhat unfaithful, husband. Meg is on the verge of purchasing new living quarters for herself and her sassy teenage daughter, Sarah. |ret||ret||tab|

She finds an unbelievably cool property that the real estate guy describes as a "townstone." It's a cross between a townhouse and a brownstone. Anyone who knows anything about real estate prices in New York City immediately knows this four-story wonder is worth a bundle. |ret||ret||tab|

The former owner, an eccentric millionaire, had the place outfitted with a "panic room." Equipped with its own power, ventilation, a bay of TV monitors, separate phone line, massive steel door and indestructible construction, it reminds one of an ultra-high-tech version of a bomb shelter from the Cold War days of the late 1950s. The audience's sense of unease begins as soon as the agent shows Meg all of these features. We've seen the previews, and most of us know how movie scripts unfold, but Fincher's setup is creepy and flawless. |ret||ret||tab|

Meg, whose life is in turmoil anyway, and Sarah (who's a diabetic) don't seem all that crazy about occupying such an obviously grand habitat. They have something of a celebration on the evening of the move-in with pizza, Coca-Cola and Meg's big bottle of wine. After settling in for their first night's respite, things begin to go awry.|ret||ret||tab|

A trio of burglars one with a connection to the former owner, another who knows a thing or two about panic rooms and a third who is just plain psycho intrudes in search of something very valuable. When Meg realizes there are strangers in the house, she collects Sarah and goes to the panic room. The trouble is, what the bad guys are after is in there, as well. They are under the impression the place is still vacant. When it becomes apparent that it isn't, their plan takes a drastic turn.|ret||ret||tab|

"Panic Room" then becomes a classic chess-game/cat-and-mouse plot, with each side trying to out-think the other at every turn. Unlike a lot of lesser movies, there are no bumbling, inept idiots on either side, and this keeps things all the more tense, as everyone is pretty much on a equal footing. |ret||ret||tab|

The trio of burglars is played by Jared Leto, the supposed leader; Dwight Yoakam, the psycho; and Forest Whit-aker as the man who really knows the score. His character, even as a "bad guy," is sympathetic, and Whitaker (who starred in "Bird," "Ghost Dog" and "The Crying Game") is always believable. And like all great actors, he has a way of drawing the audience into his portrayals.|ret||ret||tab|

The film gets a bit gruesome in parts, and it may be too violent for some, but with a classic story, great performances, taut cutting-edge direction and a scene with a tank of propane that is unlike anything I've ever seen on the screen, "Panic Room" is a true movie lover's delight.|ret||ret||tab|

(Jim Wunderle works at Associated Video Producers and is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.) [[In-content Ad]]