Panic Room 2002
6.8 / 10
Panic Room
Trapped in their New York brownstone's panic room, a hidden chamber built as a sanctuary in the event of break-ins, newly divorced Meg Altman and her young daughter Sarah play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with three intruders - Burnham, Raoul and Junior - during a brutal home invasion. But the room itself is the focal point because what the intruders really want is inside it.
Trapped in their New York brownstone's panic room, a hidden chamber built as a sanctuary in the event of break-ins, newly divorced Meg Altman and her young daughter Sarah play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with three intruders - Burnham, Raoul and Junior - during a brutal home invasion. But the room itself is the focal point because what the intruders really want is inside it.
Videos & Photos
All 2 Videos & 31 Photos
cast
Full Cast & Crew
... Meg Altman
... Sarah Altman
... Burnham
... Junior
... Raoul
... Stephen Altman
User reviews
See All 2 Reviews23 Jun 2021 by John Chard
Fincher's often derided thriller demands repeat viewings. Meg Altman and her daughter Sarah, move into a vast Brownstone home, this place is unique because it has a panic room, a room of safety from where no intruders can gain access. Sure enough on their first night in their new home, they are forced to flee to the room as three intruders break in to the house, but trouble is, is that what the intruders want is in the panic room itself. From the off we know that Panic Room is going to be oozing David Fincher stylishness, the opening credits sprawled across the Manhattan skyscrape like advertising billboards, perfectly set the tone for the movie to follow. I personally think that following on from the harshness and ingenuity of "Fight Club", many were surprised at the simplicity of Panic Room's structure, this is after all a straight forward cat and mousery thriller set in one foreboding building. Yet Fincher gains much claustrophobia from such a large building setting, managing to rack up the tension in every reel. The film, in spite of the oppressive nature of the story, never sits still either. The action kicks in from the off and through a series of devilish stunts, it continues through to the pulse raising finale. The David Koepp screenplay does not seem dark enough on the first viewing, because some of the interplay between the three intruders is actually jocular, but it never loses sight of its thriller heart. Subsequent revisits to the film reveal it to be a tightly constructed character piece, in what is practically a five character story. The real winner in that department is Jodie Foster's Meg Altman, it would have been easy for the character to be ground out as some super heroine, with death defying feats of courage masking her out as wonder woman, but Fincher has her pure and simply as a resourceful human being. She's fiercely maternal and strong and intelligent, but at her core she remains fallible, and with that she becomes believable. The other big plus point in the film is Fincher's use of the house, where his camera glides about like a phantom, a ghostly observer to the unfolding proceedings. In and out of locks and coffee pots, up and down stairs, tilts, as we track the movements of the intruders, Fincher isn't showing off, he's putting us the viewer into the mix as well. Cast are very good, Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto and a surprisingly potent Dwight Yoakam all come together very well under Fincher's watchful eye, whilst young Kristen Stewart as Sarah puts much emotive heart into a role that could so easily have been too syrupy approaching the final act. Yes it's fair to say that one has to suspend disbelief, this is after all a home invasion thriller following a true course, but in Fincher's hands it rises above cliché to thrive on atmospherics and character dynamics. Well put together and big on ticking time bomb tension, Panic Room gets better on repeat viewings. 8/10
Release Date:
Mar 29, 2002 (United States)
Run Time:
1hr 51`
MMPA Rating:
R
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
United States
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:
Related Movies To
Panic Room
Fincher's often derided thriller demands repeat viewings. Meg Altman and her daughter Sarah, move into a vast Brownstone home, this place is unique because it has a panic room, a room of safety from where no intruders can gain access. Sure enough on their first night in their new home, they are forced to flee to the room as three intruders break in to the house, but trouble is, is that what the intruders want is in the panic room itself. From the off we know that Panic Room is going to be oozing David Fincher stylishness, the opening credits sprawled across the Manhattan skyscrape like advertising billboards, perfectly set the tone for the movie to follow. I personally think that following on from the harshness and ingenuity of "Fight Club", many were surprised at the simplicity of Panic Room's structure, this is after all a straight forward cat and mousery thriller set in one foreboding building. Yet Fincher gains much claustrophobia from such a large building setting, managing to rack up the tension in every reel. The film, in spite of the oppressive nature of the story, never sits still either. The action kicks in from the off and through a series of devilish stunts, it continues through to the pulse raising finale. The David Koepp screenplay does not seem dark enough on the first viewing, because some of the interplay between the three intruders is actually jocular, but it never loses sight of its thriller heart. Subsequent revisits to the film reveal it to be a tightly constructed character piece, in what is practically a five character story. The real winner in that department is Jodie Foster's Meg Altman, it would have been easy for the character to be ground out as some super heroine, with death defying feats of courage masking her out as wonder woman, but Fincher has her pure and simply as a resourceful human being. She's fiercely maternal and strong and intelligent, but at her core she remains fallible, and with that she becomes believable. The other big plus point in the film is Fincher's use of the house, where his camera glides about like a phantom, a ghostly observer to the unfolding proceedings. In and out of locks and coffee pots, up and down stairs, tilts, as we track the movements of the intruders, Fincher isn't showing off, he's putting us the viewer into the mix as well. Cast are very good, Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto and a surprisingly potent Dwight Yoakam all come together very well under Fincher's watchful eye, whilst young Kristen Stewart as Sarah puts much emotive heart into a role that could so easily have been too syrupy approaching the final act. Yes it's fair to say that one has to suspend disbelief, this is after all a home invasion thriller following a true course, but in Fincher's hands it rises above cliché to thrive on atmospherics and character dynamics. Well put together and big on ticking time bomb tension, Panic Room gets better on repeat viewings. 8/10
Not a bad movie. She gets this new big house that she is building up. The guys working on the house come up with a plan to rob the panic room. Until the owner and her family lock themselves in the panic room to get away from them.
Cast & Crew of
Panic Room
Directors & Credit Writers
Cast
... Meg Altman
... Sarah Altman
... Burnham
... Junior
... Raoul
... Stephen Altman
... Lydia Lynch
... Evan Kurlander
... Officer Keeney
... Officer Morales
... Sleepy Neighbor
... SWAT Cop
PS
Paul Simon... SWAT Cop
... SWAT Cop
KT
Ken Turner... SWAT Cop
... Stephen's Girlfriend on the Phone (voice) (uncredited)
TC
Ty Copeman... Truck Driver (uncredited
TC
Ty Copeman... Truck Driver (uncredited)
Produced By
Videos & Photos of
Panic Room
Videos ( 2)
Official Trailer
YouTube
Panic Room - Trailer
YouTube
Photos ( 31 )
Related Movies To
Panic Room
Ballerina (2025)
0 /10
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Eve Macarro begins her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
Run Time: 2hr 5` . MMPA: R . Release: 04 Jun 2025
Director: Chad Stahelski , Darrin Prescott , Matej Kricner
Producer: Ana de Armas , Chad Stahelski , John R. Saunders
Stars: Ana de Armas , Ian McShane , Anjelica Huston , Norman Reedus , Keanu Reeves , Lance Reddick
Ice Road: Vengeance (2025)
0 /10
Big rig ice road driver Mike McCann travels to Nepal to scatter his late brother’s ashes on Mt. Everest. While on a packed tour bus traversing the deadly 12,000 ft. terrain of the infamous Road to the Sky, McCann and his mountain guide encounter a group of mercenaries and must fight to save themselves, the busload of innocent travelers, and the local villagers’ homeland.
Run Time: 1hr 53` . MMPA: R . Release: 27 Jun 2025
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Producer: Lisa Wilson , Shivani Rawat , John Leonetti
Stars: Liam Neeson , Fan Bingbing , Marcus Thomas , Mahesh Jadu , Bernard Curry , Michala Banas
Heads of State (2025)
0 /10
The UK Prime Minister and US President have a public rivalry that risks their countries' alliance. But when they become targets of a powerful enemy, they're forced to rely on each other as they go on a wild, multinational run. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent, they must find a way to thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world.
Run Time: 1hr 53` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 02 Jul 2025
Director: Jo Beckett , Ben Howard , Matthew Sharp
Producer: John Cena , Marcus Viscidi , Sophie Holland
Stars: Idris Elba , John Cena , Priyanka Chopra Jonas , Paddy Considine , Stephen Root , Carla Gugino
First Shift (2024)
0 /10
NYPD veteran Mike and rookie Angela tackle a high-stakes day on New York's toughest streets, diving headfirst into a vortex of danger and action. Their adrenaline-fueled pursuits and unexpected threats unfold as they navigate perilous encounters. Amidst the chaos, intense challenges forge unbreakable bonds.
Run Time: 1hr 29` . MMPA: . Release: 30 Aug 2024
Director: Béla Baptiste , Phillip Rush , Uwe Boll
Producer: Hilary Greer , Michael Roesch , Michael Schürger
Stars: Kristen Renton , Gino Anthony Pesi , James McMenamin , Garry Pastore , Michael Emery , Willie C. Carpenter
F1 (2025)
0 /10
Racing legend Sonny Hayes is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver—while chasing one more chance at glory.
Run Time: 2hr 36` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 25 Jun 2025
Director: Toby Hefferman , Donald E G Bentley , Gary Powell
Producer: David Campbell-Bell , Lewis Hamilton , Alessandro Minisola
Stars: Brad Pitt , Damson Idris , Kerry Condon , Tobias Menzies , Lewis Hamilton , Javier Bardem
Crypto Legacy (2020)
2.5 /10
Troy Morgan doesn't like his family's farm. The place creeps him out. After spotting some strange lights one evening, Troy and his little sister Carrie go to investigate the creepy barn.
Run Time: 1hr 11` . MMPA: . Release: 01 Oct 2020
Director: Charles Townsend
Producer: Charles Townsend
Stars: Sheri Gill Dixon , Brian Kunz , Brandon Young , Nathaniel Barton , Linzi Gray , Thalia Reynolds
Utopia (2024)
0 /10
A soldier searching for his missing wife breaks into a high-tech facility, believing she's been caught in a human trafficking ring. But beyond its walls, he finds a surreal, futuristic fantasy park where reality and illusion blur. As he navigates this seductive and dangerous world, a shocking truth pulls him deeper into a deadly game where nothing is as it seems.
Run Time: 1hr 33` . MMPA: R . Release: 09 Dec 2024
Director: James Bamford
Producer: Zuzana Martinková , Vladimir Karanikolov , Kyle Otto
Stars: Moe Dunford , Charlotte Vega , Michael D. Xavier , Daniel Bernhardt , Jason Flemyng , Wanda Banda
Remnant (2024)
0 /10
Grace is a young woman whose life has been turned upside down by tragedy. When she returns home to the family farm to rebuild her shattered life, her world begins to unravel as a series of strange events haunt her, pushing Grace to the edge of madness. A mysterious figure lurks in the shadows and a ghostly woman appears in the darkness of night. Is Grace imagining these apparitions, or are they a warning of a nightmare still to come?
Run Time: 1hr 52` . MMPA: . Release: 30 Jun 2024
Director: Mike Horan
Producer:
Stars: Nicole Pritchard , Shaun Robert Foley , Tsu Shan Chambers , Remi Webster , Megan Bell , Martin Ashley Jones
The Twisters (2024)
0 /10
A deadly patchwork of destructive cyclones is on an apocalyptic path of convergence at a populated Midwest city center. There, the twisters will merge into one mega tornado that threatens to obliterate the cities for hundreds of miles around.
Run Time: 1hr 27` . MMPA: . Release: 28 Jun 2024
Director: Michael Su
Producer: David Michael Latt , Ryan Ebert , James Mahoney
Stars: Kayla Fields , Mark Justice , Paul Logan , Curtis Strong , Tiffany , Sofia Riba
Sinners (2025)
0 /10
Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.
Run Time: 2hr 18` . MMPA: R . Release: 16 Apr 2025
Director: Gio Paredes-Utforskare , Steve Gehrke , Marvin Williams
Producer: Anthony Tittanegro , Sev Ohanian , Pete Chiappetta
Stars: Michael B. Jordan , Jack O'Connell , Delroy Lindo , Jayme Lawson , Wunmi Mosaku , Hailee Steinfeld
xXx (2002)
5.8 /10
Xander Cage is your standard adrenaline junkie with no fear and a lousy attitude. When the US Government "recruits" him to go on a mission, he's not exactly thrilled. His mission: to gather information on an organization that may just be planning the destruction of the world, led by the nihilistic Yorgi.
Run Time: 2hr 4` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 09 Aug 2002
Director: George Parra , Alexander Witt , Mark Taylor
Producer: George Zakk , Scott Ross , Arne Schmidt
Stars: Vin Diesel , Asia Argento , Samuel L. Jackson , Leila Arcieri , Marton Csokas , Eve
Breathing In (2023)
0 /10
1901, South Africa. As the Second Anglo-Boer War rages on, a wounded General seeks refuge in the small home of a woman and her young daughter. As the hurt man settles in, he begins noticing that something is off about the two women, particularly the daughter, and before long, he’ll learn the real reason for why they’ve invited him and for how they’ve survived on their own for so long.
Run Time: 1hr 45` . MMPA: . Release: 18 Oct 2023
Director: Jaco Bouwer
Producer:
Stars: Michele Burgers , Sven Ruygrok , Jamie-Lee Money , Lionel Newton