Disturbia (2007)

Director: D.J. Caruso

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, David Morse, Carrie-Anne Moss

A teen living under house arrest becomes convinced his neighbor is a serial killer.

I’ve seen ‘Disturbia’ many times and although I do have some issues with the film, I’m entertained every time.

After losing his dad in a freak accident, Kale (Shia LaBeouf) becomes a troubled teenager. After punching his teacher, he is sentenced three months house arrest. I somehow don’t believe Shia was the perfect candidate for the role. He over-acted a bit, and I didn’t take him all that seriously during the serious moments. On the other hand, I thought David Morse was excellent as the antagonist, Mr. Turner. There was an eeriness about him that suited the character perfectly.

The film is off to a slow start, which I believe was necessary to set up the scene. However, even once the film enters the second act, there are far too many distractions not relevant to the premise – especially his adoration for Ashley, the girl next door. The ‘love interest’ between them was comedic, and consistently ruined the suspense. At times I believed the film to be dragged out because they didn’t have enough material for a full-length movie. Or at least it felt that way…

The final act is much better paced, and quite thrilling, actually, with a very good climax. So, despite the aforementioned flaws, I do still enjoy ‘Disturbia’ every time.

‘Disturbia’ received several award nominations. It earned $118 million on a $20 million budget.

Would I watch it again? Yes.