DJ Caruso's Disturbia was an exceedingly well-made suspense thriller about a teenager who suspects his neighbor is a serial killer. A remake/modernization of Hitchcock's Rear Window, it must inevitably be compared to its source material. And I'm glad to say that it stands its ground surprisingly well. The basic framework of the movie stays pretty similar, except we are in the suburbs instead of an apartment complex, we have teenagers instead of adults, and our main character is kept immobile through house arrest, not a broken leg. Also, they add a little bit of romance in this version (he's already engaged in the original), which I could've done without, and a lot more tension and excitement, which was a wise choice for its target audience. The last thirty minutes or so were absolutely terrifying (although the logic behind it is a bit shaky). As far as all these differences go, most of them worked really really well.
Much was also kept the same. I'm glad that they had multiple neighbors and multiple side stories. While not as charming as in the original, they were still engaging and entertaining. One thing that made the original so good was the use of first person shots. They continued that technique here, albeit in a more muted fashion. They move exactly as we would move, and show exactly what we want to see. This natural movement helped us get involved in the storytelling. Technically, it was better than a lot of movies, but not exceptional. The acting was on point, the characters believable, and the dynamics between them fleshed out and full. The pacing seemed to be effortless perfection. The cinematography and editing worked well together. The music was sometimes out of place or overbearing, but on the whole it kept the mood nicely. I highly recommend this movie, to those who have seen Rear Window and those who haven't, and to those who just want a truly suspenseful and thrilling movie.IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486822/