Disturbia: A Convincing Remake of Hitchcock's "Rear Window"

Kale rides in a car with his father, when it is suddenly run off the road, then hit by a truck, killing his father but not him. Kale becomes rebellious and after punching a teacher out, he is put under house arrest and monitored by an electronic ankle bracelet. Being unable to leave his own property, he is forced to create a new hobby - being a voyeur of his neighborhood. He takes special interest in an older male neighbor who does suspicious activities. Kale is accompanied by two friends who become his eyes and ears on the outside as they investigate the possible serial killer.

I never thought it was possible but Disturbia has successfully merged a teen thriller with a convincing "remake" of a classic. While I won't argue whether or not this is officially a remake of Hitchcock's "Rear Window", for all intents and purposes it is, in my mind. Jimmy Stewart's version will always be the original and the best version, Disturbia ranks a close second or third.

I wasn't exactly sure what this movie was about when I saw the previews. But within fifteen minutes, I knew this would be similar to "Rear Window" with a few changes. Instead of the lead character breaking his leg and convalescing, here he is under house arrest. Same outcome really. And instead of the "hero" acting alone, he has two sidekicks (his best friend and a new neighborhood girl). I find that the additional characters add a bit of color and fun to a role which can very easily become dull and tedious if done badly. It works here.