Disturbia (PG-13, 2007)

common sense media says

Voyeuristic teen Rear Window update.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

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.

Positive 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).

More on Disturbia

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
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?

What's the story?

What's the story?
An update of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, DISTURBIA centers on angry teenager Kale (Carrie-Anne Moss) cuts off his XBox and iTunes access, leaving him to seek other entertainment -- namely, spying on his neighbors. "This is reality without the TV!" he says gleefully. He sees a man cheating on his wife, little boys watching porn on TV, and the odious Turner (David Morse). Intrigued by Turner's vintage Mustang (the same car spotted at the scene of a woman's disappearance) and dates (one woman appears to be terrified by a knife), Kale soon finds encouragement from his best friend, Ronnie (Aaron Yoo), and his new, attractive, and apparently lonely neighbor, Ashley (Sarah Roemer).

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Until it runs off its rails in the third act, Disturbia teeters between strangely mesmerizing and strangely clumsy. At its center is a worthy examination of voyeurism, which has pervaded current popular culture in the form of reality TV and Internet video diaries. Less admirable is a familiar serial-killer plot in which a monster menaces clueless women, including the hero's mother.

The plot lurches in order to get Kale into tight spots: First Ashley is wonderful, then she's disloyal and superficial; Ronnie is helpfully tech-savvy, then he's an idiot; a local cop assigned to monitor Kale is adversarial. Still, the camerawork is clever (recurring close-ups and bad framing approximate Kale's untrained eye), and Kale suffers from both over-stimulation and privilege. Increasingly distracted by the sheer number of ways he's found to watch the violence and sex unfolding before him -- computer screen, cell phone, video camera, binoculars, even his own eyes -- Kale is eventually unable to respond coherently, although by that time the plot has gone loopy, too. But even as the many possibilities for spying are speeded up and multiplied, the movie's focus on the consequences of voyeurism remains relevant and riveting.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: DreamWorks
Director: D.J. Caruso
Cast: Carrie-Anne Moss, David Morse, Shia LaBeouf
Genre: Thriller
Run time: 105 minutes
Theatrical release: April 12, 2007
DVD release: August 7, 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: sequences of terror and violence, and some sensuality.
Watch our review

This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13

Most useful reviews by all members

kobukgirl96
teen, 16 years old
 
i think that this movie was awesome and seriously the only thing I disagree with this site is that you guys rate things so hashly because this is real life and 13 year olds are way smarter and more mature than you think

Plague
parent
 
Disturbia
Not a bad movie. Teens will love it.

Bessylover1
teen, 15 years old
 
EXCELLENT MOVIE!
well i must say that only the language is bad but for the other part its a very good movie.

peanutbuttergurl6
teen, 17 years old
 
finally a good rated PG-13 movie
this movie is just the type of pg-13 movie that's actuall GOOD i've seen in a long time. no gory blood or anything, no nudity/sex, no bad language used like most vies these days. it's just suspenful and the characters are just so witty. i'd definitly would of gone out 2 see it in theatres

dude01
teen, 17 years old
 
great for teens.
I thought this was a great movie, it was like watching an episode of CSI, which i watch all the time. the perfect movie for a teenager.

greysfan001
teen, 15 years old
 
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.

iluvmusic720
teen, 16 years old
 
this is my favorite movie

haddad fan
kid, 12 years old
 
this page is messed up!
now your page is crazy, Internet!

cheese-process
teen, 15 years old
 
The perfect teen movie.
It was a fun movie, not really scary until the second half when the main characters spied on the murderer's house and saw him kill a woman, which showed a lot of blood. Then, it got scary and violent. I love it!

Marya
teen, 17 years old
 
Pretty Cliché
Its a pretty Cliche film. But no doubt, you get edge of your seat thrills and you feel like you are actually in the movie. It's quite perverted, due to two boys spying on the new female next-door neighbour. It's entertaining, i wouldnt mind watching it again but you got that sense of Deja Vu

Doodelium
kid, 13 years old
 
3 1/2 Stars
I LIKED this movie. It was suspenseful in some parts and a little creepy in others. IT WAS NOT A HORROR MOVIE. The movie was good but none of it really went together. If you want you should see it, I am not saying it is bad but its not amazing.

 
good for 13 + but not under 12
good, this review was actually quite good,but sex really isn't that bad.

OGORMAN
teen, 16 years old
 
Kids should be old enough to not have nightmares about it!!
This movie was amazing and creepy! The main character shares a very close bond with his father. There is occasional swearing, but nothing too bad. Several dead bodies and a fatal and bloody car crash are shown, and while making out, Kale flips off his friend, who at the time is filming them with a video camera. Xbox Live and Itunes are mentioned throughout the movie, along with other products.

SecretAgentPalin
teen, 15 years old
 
I found most of this movie funny, rather than scary.
It's not a good sign when you can call every single jump scare. It's also somewhat cliche and borrows from the classic horror film "Fright Night". I thought David Morse was perfect for the role of Turner, and Shia did a decent job as well. If you haven't watched a ton of horror movies like me, this one will definitely keep you on your toes. 13+ for strong violence and terror, disturbing images, language, sexual content and references, partial nudity.

davisfaherty
teen, 14 years old
 
Good movie, but a little violent.
I really liked this movie! I saw it at a drive in, and it was really entertaining, I was on the edge of my seat. Although some scenes are a little bloody, it's okay for tweens. There was a lot of suspense, and some footage of decayed bodies. Overall, very good.

jjz514
teen, 15 years old
 
purely disturbing and funny
great film. good job adapting to Alfred Hitchkock's "Rear Window". I think the film had a good use of laughter, and, well, disturbing scenes. great ending. also good people, and happy ending, and good job savior!

thelight98
teen, 14 years old
 
was this guy even watching the movie?
there is violence but not at the "edge of pg-13". As for the sexual parts, the only parts were them watching the girl in the swimming pool and alittle romantic kissing. There is also a middle finger and more "s--t" than i can count. if i would have read this before i saw the movie, i would have never watched it. but i liked it.

moviefan3308
teen, 14 years old
 
Great First Horror Movie
I saw this movie at a party with some friends when I was 12. The movie is scary but its more creepy than really bloody. The killer is a menacing old man and he might scare younger children. This movie does have some crass parts but nothing too over the top. I would recommend it for mature 12 year olds and up and I think it's a great introduction for teens to the horror genre. at least it was for me :)

danielellarby
teen, 14 years old
 
Disturbia review
Very good movie, with tense moments and a fast paced plot. Can look violent but most violent scenes happen in the dark and are not clearly seen. Great performance from Shia La Boeuf. Contains some jumpy scenes.

MileyySupport
teen, 16 years old
 
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

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