by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
Shia LaBeouf is the new “it” actor of the moment. With his terrific performance in this summer’s action extravaganza Transformers, the young man has officially arrived and is booking some huge jobs because of it. But even before his Transformers success, LaBeouf was bringing in audiences with his star power. Case in point, Disturbia, a film that far surpassed expectations and took in nearly $23 million it’s opening weekend. That film is now available on DVD.
Kale (LaBeouf) has had a rough year. After the sudden death of his father, the teen has lost interest in life and begins acting out. He soon finds himself getting in more and more trouble until he’s finally placed on house arrest for assaulting a teacher. Stuck at home with nothing to do beyond staring out the window, Kale begins monitoring the comings and goings of his neighbors, particularly those of the pretty girl next door, Ashley (Sarah Roemer), and the loner in the house behind his, Mr. Turner (David Morse). After seeing the older gentleman doing some increasingly suspicious things, Kale joins forces with his buddy from school, Ronnie (Aaron Yoo), and Ashley to find out what he’s up to. The trio concludes that Mr. Turner may be the serial killer area cops have been searching for. But without proof who would believe them?
Disturbia seems like just another teen thriller, and maybe it is. But what this film did that others in the genre failed to do this year is make a killing at the box office. The $20 million budgeted film made $80 million domestically during its theatrical run and managed to get a passable 66% fresh rating with critics on RottenTomatoes.com. The film makes its way to DVD this week, where it will no doubt so just as well with home entertainment audiences.
The Disturbia DVD has a surprisingly meaty supplement section. An entertaining feature-length audio commentary with director DJ Caruso and actors LaBeouf and Roemer makes it to the disc, despite the fact that the group seemed more interested in chowing down on chicken than saying anything truly mind-blowing. Still, it’s a lot of fun to listen to. Next are four deleted scenes that were probably best left on the cutting room floor. They add little to the film itself beyond clearing up how a teenager gets ahold of blueprints for his neighbor’s house. A making-of featurette aptly titled “The Making of Disturbia” gives some behind-the-scenes footage and talking head interviews with the cast and crew. A very brief gag reel makes it onto the disc as well as a music video by This World Fair. The DVD also boasts a pop-up trivia feature that gives production tidbits and other facts during the film. It’s a nice extra if you’ve seen the film a couple of times, but not so much if you’re a first-time viewer.
One can’t see Disturbia, or read a review about it, without being reminded of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, since the premise is quite similar. While it’s not as good as that classic, it’s certainly the most suspenseful homage to the film thus far. Thanks to my children, I was introduced to Shia LaBeouf several years ago when he was on a Disney Channel series called ‘Even Stevens.’ Even then, the kid showed the markings of a great comic actor. Here, LaBeouf is still funny, but he also manages to hit all the right notes as the lead in a thriller too. He turns in a performance that never fails to engage the viewer. You want to see him catch the killer, make his mom proud, and get the girl. His great acting would have been for naught without a truly scary antagonist and Morse certainly fit the bill. He’s terrifying in his subtle performance as a loner with a sinister something to hide. From his creepy cool demeanor when challenged in public to his far more twisted side when alone with his potential victims, Morse successfully makes the skin crawl with his foreboding normalcy. I wouldn’t want him living next door to me! Disturbia is a testament to how matching a director to a story makes a huge difference. If this story had been in the hands of any other director, I’m not sure it would have worked. Caruso, who I’ve never been a huge fan of to begin with, seems to have found his niche here. The story starts strong and the drama continues to build and build until you find yourself sitting upright, waiting at the edge of your seat for the film to release its hold on you. Caruso’s care in fostering connections between his characters helps drive the film. For example, without seeing Kale and his father’s relationship in the beginning, he would just be another troubled kid. Instead, the first five minutes show a father and son bond that’s real and touching and when that’s gone, the audience feels the loss, not just the characters.
Disturbia is not a perfect film. It does have some great characters, some stellar performances and a story that hooks the viewer from A to Z. While it may not be worth owning, it’s definitely worth checking out.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
