Saw Disturbia, By the Way

When it first came out, The Girl really wanted to see it. I was a little less gung-ho about it, but was willing to watch. However the little woman became a little disenchanted over the flick when she went to pick it up at the local video store around the time we got Netflix workin’ for us (so obviously, this was a while back). The video store clerks pretty much told her it was “eh.” She, for whatever reason, took this as fact, and rented something else that probably sucked – I can’t remember honestly.

Anyway, I subsequently threw it to the rear-end of our queue. Well last week it finally made its way to the front of the line and showed up at our door. Perhaps it was the lowered expectations, perhaps it was that half-a-beer I had thrown down earlier, but either way, Disturbia proved to be a LOT more watchable than I had figured it would be. I actually enjoyed it. Believe that!

This is despite the presence of Shia leBarf, whom I typically dislike with lots of, dislikiness. Maybe it’s because the character he played was for the most part just a little wannabe dipshit in the first place (reminded me of my own brother), but he didn’t seem to be doing too bad a job in the movie. And if you’re a male and on the fence about seeing it still, how’s this: there’s a hot babe in it that likes to show off her bikini bod often enough.

The basic premise is that some kid (Shia LeBarf) winds up in house arrest. He becomes restless, and starts to suspect his neighbor is actually a serial killer. He also has a hot babe move in next door and spies the hell out of her. We assume he’s, you know, while doing this. Because I would have, and let’s be honest, if you’re male & straight you would have too if you were him. Anyway, totally against the grain of reality, it turns out she likes him. Shenanigans ensue, whereby they do stakeouts and try to break into is neighbor’s place to prove his dastardliness. They are patently bad at this.

It has a happy-enough ending, if a little too lighthearted considering all that transpires before it. But it’s still enjoyable entertainment with enough suspense to be engaging.

The only thing I didn’t like what the huge, huge setup for how the main character came to be under house arrest. I don’t want to ruin the movie for ya, but let’s just say that possibly the most important event in his life happens, and then pretty much goes unmentioned for the whole rest of the film. I mean sh!t, they could have just had it be that he got caught joyriding or something. Something. Maybe he brought a knife to school accidentally but got sent up the river by the school bully. Something other than what they went with and then never followed up on.

Overall: it’s decent. I say it warrants a B-.