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Disturbia

(2007, Rated PG-13, Thriller, Starring David Morse, Carrie-Anne Moss, Shia LaBeouf)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Voyeuristic teen Rear Window update.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    A traumatized boy punches his teacher. During house arrest, he spies on his neighbors; one is a serial murderer. A cop behaves unprofessionally. Mocking characterization of geeky "Asian" best friend.
  • Violence:

    Pushes the edge on PG-13 violence: Images include a harrowing car crash (son sees father killed), a boy punching his teacher in the face, a man using a knife to take off a woman's bra, fast-cut/close-up video camera footage suggesting Ronnie is being attacked, decaying dead bodies, a grisly deer head in a plastic bag, and human skulls and bones stored in a serial killer's house. Also, the hero breaks into a house with a bat and attacks the villain with garden shears (scenes are quite bloody), and the villain menaces a girl in her car, breaks a victim's neck, attacks another with a knife, and tapes and ties up a woman.
  • Sex:

    Repeated images of Ashley in underwear and bikini (boys watch her with binoculars); off-screen moaning sounds suggest Kale is masturbating (but he's really itching under his security ankle bracelet); young boys watch porn on TV (breasts visible); Kale refers to neighbor as "Betty Big Bangs" and watches sexual activities (kissing, undressing) through neighbors' windows; phrases include "growing bone," and "horny as s--t" open-mouthed kissing between hero and girlfriend; cell phone ring tone is "Me So Horny."
  • Language:

    Repeated uses of "s--t" (some with "bull"), in addition to other language -- "ass," "jackass," "d--k-hater," "bastard," "damn," "Jesus!," "sucks" -- and phrases ("What a retard!").
  • Consumerism:

    Visual and verbal references to iTunes, XBox, Skippy peanut butter, Hershey's chocolate syrup, HDNet, Red Bull, Mac powerbook, Us Weekly, iPod, Twinkies, OxyClean and Cascade detergents, Mayflower movers, Mustang car, Barnes & Noble, and band names (Afroman, Ramones, Led Zeppelin). Joke about Martha Stewart's house arrest.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Possible teen drinking at a party (kids carry plastic cups, but the content is unspecified).
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Disturbia

Parents need to know that this thriller will likely appeal to teens, despite (or maybe because of) the fact that it's quite violent for a PG-13-rated film. In an early scene, the young hero sees his father killed in a car accident; later, he must explore a scary house in order to save his mother from a serial killer. There's also punching, stabbing, beating, strangling, and neck-breaking, as well as images of human and animal corpses in various states of decay. The main character catches glimpses of sexual activity through his binoculars -- a couple through a window, young boys watching porn on TV (breasts are visible), a teen girl getting undressed, etc.. Language includes frequent uses of "s--t," plus other profanity.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about voyeurism. Has the rise of things like reality TV and user-generated online video made people accustomed to the idea of scrutinizing others for entertainment? What role does media -- or the lack thereof -- play in Kale's decision to observe his neighbors? Does the fact that he discovers a terrible criminal make up for the fact that he's spying? What are the movie's messages about connections and relationships between people in modern life? Families who've also seen Rear Window (the inspiration for this film) can compare the two movies. What's changed since the original was made?

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Our Members Say

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See all 93 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Kansas
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Love It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I love this move!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is an awsome movie.It can have its "edge of your seat thrills" but isn't to scary.

  2. I rate this title off for age 11 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message

    Not that scary just perverted

    I saw this movie at my friend's halloween party and it was disgusting. Not much was scary other then when the main characters go on a wild chase with a villan. But it was perverted. Two teenage boys and a girl watch girls next door undress and at the end nude and in underwear. The boys watch porn on TV and it's really explicit. I was disgusted it 's not worth watching

  3. I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    this is my favorite movie

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    They are making it sound worse then it is

    Yea, there is violence and its pretty realitic but its nothing you wouldnt see in a normal PG-13. THere is a lot of sexual/ romance stuff in the first hour. The last 45 minutes all have to do with the killer. There is some swearing (s**t, etc) and apparently to unheard f-words (in the dvd subtitles). Overall its a teen horror, and the commercials make it look worse then it is.

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language

    Some kids may be able to handle it, but some may freak.

    Its a pretty good movie.

  6. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Great Movie

    This movie is one of my favs!! I absolutly recommned this so action packed people!! It has a very good story, great acting, and the movie is an A-. I loved it :-D good movie for ages 14 and up. Sexually behavior may vary

  7. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in Oregon
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    for double digits

    I thought this was a really good movie. I loved it when I was 9. I would reccommend this movie to everyone who is at least 9.I thought it was pretty violent though.

  8. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in New Mexico
    I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message

    Disturbia

    This was my favorite movie when I was 10. I've seen it 3 times. It's awesome. May be scary for young kids. It freaked me out the first time I watched it, but it's awesome

  9. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Missouri
    I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    the thing about this is that some parents get too worked up. kids have seen much worse things. kale is mostly a good kid, loves his mom, feels terrible when his dad is killed. but he can be a bad role model. he disrespects his parent, spies on neighbors, breaks into mans house, "pops" teacher in the face, stabs man (though he is a serial killer) with garden shears. but things have been much worse. if you ask me, those 3 little boys were much worse role models/ i say 11 and up.

  10. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message

    12+

    I find this movie to e quite fantastic but could e inapropriate for younger viewers

  11. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    This is and will be for a while one of my favorite movies. It is smart, clever, thrilling, and funny at times. Shia's acting is phenomenal. 11 and up. Though it depends on the viewer.

  12. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    Great Movie

    This movie is so good. My friend and I watched it and we didnt even want to stop it to get food! The begining is kind of booring but it does get better.

  13. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0

    I was soo scared, but I loooooved it!

    I was 12 the first time I saw this movie, and I was totally freaked out. it was funny at parts and completely gross at others! soooo good!

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 2.0

    ehhh

    I didn't really enjoy it. It was very exciting but gruesome and scary. I didn't like it.

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0

    Amazing!

    Amazing! Throughout all the fight scene I was on the edge of my seat ripping my hair out. Recommended to a Shia labeuf and Thriller genre lovers!

  16. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 2.0

    its just ok

    I always love a good ending, and it supplied it, but it wasnt very good other 'n that.

  17. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 1.0

    TOO scary for me

    This movie was a non-stop horro fest that kids under 13 will definitly not be able to handle. My advice : stay away from this movie as long as possible .

  18. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 5.0

    On The Edge of My Seat!

    This was an amazing movie! It's rated good, 13+. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Shia Lebeof is awesome. It reflects usual behaivior of kids, from the boys watching porn behind their mom's (a very short scene)back to the guys checking out the neighbor. It's way interesting from the beginning, which is pretty sad. You must watch this at night with all your lights off! It has plenty of suprises and it's a great thriller. My 12 year-old brother is very easily scared and hates scary movies, but he absoulutly loved this one!!

  19. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Louisiana
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 3.0

    COOL!

    pretty good! this movie shud hav been rated R! it was very violent!! som blood but more dead bodies!

  20. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Louisiana
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 3.0

    COOL!

    pretty good! this movie shud hav been rated R! it was very violent!! som blood but more dead bodies!

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