With a two week total of over $40 million, “Disturbia” has once again thrilled audiences to take the box office crown. “Disturbia” is a modern spin on the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, “Rear Window,” and surprisingly, is a fine compliment to its older counterpart.
“Disturbia” begins with the picture perfect setting of a father and son fly fishing and as they return home, a tragic car accident occurs. Kale (Shia LaBeouf) not only loses his father but also his love for living and a year later he has become a withdrawn, shell of his former self. As the school year ends, he is forced into an altercation with his Spanish teacher and gets slapped with a three-month judgment of house arrest.
Shia LaBeouf is a great addition to the cast and it seems his star will only grow brighter after this box office victor. Industry giant, Steven Spielberg, has tapped LeBeouf to star in two colossal blockbusters over the next two years, the first being July 4th’s highly anticipated “Transformers” and next year in the fourth installment of the “Indiana Jones” adventures. Starring roles in these franchise films is a glowing testament to the potential LaBeouf has and it will only be furthered by his win with “Disturbia.”
Back to the story at hand, once incarcerated, Kale immediately does what any contemporary teenager would do with such a horrible sentence by playing video games, watching television and downloading music. He is able to fight his boredom until an argument with his mom causes him to lose all his luxuries. Without technology, he is left with one last resort: watching his neighbors. He quickly becomes obsessed with the practice and his fascination is furthered when beautiful girl, Ashley (Sarah Roemer) and her family move next door.
Kale is eventually caught by Ashley, and she also becomes infatuated with the comings and goings of their little world. With binoculars in hand they continue to find out all the minute details of their community, including the sinister. After news reports describing a serial killer from Texas begin to appear on television, the friends turn their attention to ultimate creepy neighbor, Mr. Turner, played by a steely- eyed David Morse. While Morse has few lines of dialogue, he commands the screen with his smoldering presence, and is one of the major reasons the film works as well as it does.
As the amateur voyeurs grow deeper into their spying, they find what they think to be unquestionable evidence of Mr. Turner’s guilt and the film switches into full thriller mode. The action is fast paced with a new turn around every corner and it is only until the last 20 minutes does the truth come together. “Disturbia” manages to excite audiences with a virtually unknown cast and will no doubt send a chill down anyone’s spine.