Search - Panic Room on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Not For Children, Profanity, Children in Peril Movie Release: 2002 DVD Release: 09/17/2002 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 52 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Total Copies: 204 Genres: Thriller, Psychological Thriller See Also: Panic Room [Special Edition], Panic Room [Superbit]

A well-regarded spec script by A-list screenwriter David Koepp became this stylish thriller from director David Fincher. Jodie Foster stars as Meg Altman, a single mother of an diabetic preteen daughter, Sarah (Kristen Stewart). Meg's going through an unhappy divorce that forces her and Sarah to move into a new home. They choose a deluxe New York brownstone that coincidentally boasts an unusual feature: a "panic room," a vault-like hidden space capable of literally sealing itself off from the rest of the building. With its thick steel door on springs, separate ventilation and communications systems, and video monitors linked to cameras mounted throughout the home, the room is an impregnable fortress. It quickly comes in handy when the Altmans' new residence is invaded by a trio of thieves: Junior (Jared Leto), Burnham (Forest Whitaker), and Raoul (Dwight Yoakam). Meg and Sarah are able to secure themselves in the panic room before the robbers can get to them, but it turns out that Sarah's medication is still on the outside, the phone's not yet connected, and the loot the gang's seeking is inside the panic room with them. A cat-and-mouse battle of wits ensues, with Meg trying to outwit their captors over the course of one very long night, as her daughter's health dissipates. Panic Room (2002) co-stars Ann Magnuson, Patrick Bauchau, and Koepp's fellow screenwriter, Andrew Kevin Walker, in a cameo role. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Jodie Foster - Meg Altman
Forest Whitaker - Burnham
Dwight Yoakam - Raoul
Jared Leto - Junior
Kristen Stewart - Sarah Altman

Columbia/TriStar's "Superbit" line of DVD's come in two flavors. . .basic, no frills editions and two-disc sets with numerous extras. David Fincher's Panic Room is of the former variety. If any film begged for extensive supplementary materials (commentaries, interviews, documentaries), this is the film, but sadly that is not the case. All that is included is an effective teaser trailer and some incomplete bibliographies for the main cast and Fincher. On the plus side is the image and sound. Framed at the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1, the picture is nearly flawless. Set primarily in the dark, the blacks are solid and show no sign of breakdown. Colors, limitedly used, are nicely represented and realistic. Sound is even more impressive. "Superbit" titles use higher bit rates for the audio and here it shows. The 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS show excellent depth, though the surrounds are only used sparingly. Regardless, the higher bit rate is clearly evident. Sound effects are distinct and forceful, while dialogue, even at the lowest levels, is clear and distortion free. Would it be surprising to see a 2-disc special edition "Superbit" in the future? Not really. It's just too bad it wasn't done completely right the first time. ~ Trent Fordham, All Movie Guide