Jim's "Go or Don't Go" - Disturbia

Disturbia is a remake loosely based on Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller, Rear Window. Shia LaBeouf (that's a guy, for those who are not familiar with him) plays Kale Brecht, a teenager that has trouble dealing with the sudden death of his father in a car accident. He ends up under house arrest after clocking one of his teachers in the eye for making a rude comment about his dad.

Kale discovers an interesting way to pass his time while being confined to his house - watching the neighbors. Of course, one of the more interesting objects of his attention is Ashley, played by Sarah Roemer, an attractive young girl that just happens to move in next door just as Kale begins his new hobby of people watching. She eventually catches Kale and his friend watching her, but fortunately for him, (and the plot of the movie) Ashley isn't completely creeped-out and eventually joins them in their people watching.

But the voyeurism doesn't stop there. There is also a shady guy next door who Kale suspects is the serial killer that has recently been in the news. This is where the movie started to go south for me. After beginning with some promise and a reasonably intelligent script, Disturbia descended into a film that reminded me of the slasher movies of my youth - kind of a Friday the 13th meets Silence of the Lambs. The remainder of the film follows the kids' attempts to prove their suspicions and avoid getting themselves killed in the process. There are plenty of false scares and futile attempts to convince the authorities that their neighbor is a homicidal maniac along the way. There's even a final chase scene through the killer's lair that would make Indiana Jones proud.

Shia LaBeouf is a very good young actor and Disturbia really benefits because of his presence. He seems to excel at playing the nerdy nervous kid that gets the way-out-of-his-league girl. But his abilities can't make up for the numerous cliches that bog down the film.

It's been a long time since I saw the original Rear Window, so I don't remember much about it, but I'm sure that it is far superior movie than Disturbia. If you find yourself stuck at home for a few hours, rent it. As for Disturbia, I say "Don't Go."