Panic Room

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Panic Room

R

Released Mar 29, 2002

1h 52m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

76%

Tomatometer

191 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Trapped in their New York brownstone's panic room, a hidden chamber built as a sanctuary in the event of break-ins, newly divorced Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) and her young daughter Sarah (Kristen Stewart) play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with three intruders - Burnham (Forest Whitaker), Raoul (Dwight Yoakam) and Junior (Jared Leto) - during a brutal home invasion. But the room itself is the focal point because what the intruders really want is inside it.

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Critics Consensus

Elevated by David Fincher's directorial talent and Jodie Foster's performance, Panic Room is a well-crafted, above-average thriller.

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Namrata Joshi

Outlook

Leaving you utterly dissatisfied...

Rated: 2/4

Jan 3, 2019

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Extreme suspense, graphic violence; not for kids.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 27, 2010

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

A thinking-man's women-in-jeopardy picture, Panic Room does about as much as humanly possible with its deliberately restricted one-setting premise.

Mar 27, 2009

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

Taut and tense, Panic Room represents a smaller scale effort from director David Fincher that is no less meticulously crafted than his previous films.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 7, 2025

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

It may not be a "top tier" Fincher film, but this popcorn thriller is hugely entertaining and deserves more respect. It's a great time at the movies.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 2, 2025

Full Review

Paul Lê

Bloody Disgusting

Beneath Panic Room’s polished surface lurks a story teeming with texture.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 28, 2025

Full Review

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Daniel N

Good movie. Great cast and great writing. Was great when it was first released and is still great today.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/24/25

Full Review

James O

I absolutely adore this film, the tension, and the mother and daughter relationship

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/07/25

Full Review

Gina R

A great edge-of-the-seat thriller!! Jodie Foster proves yet again that she is most versatile and hypnotic actress of her generation!! Kirsten looks fresh as a newly rained snow on the grassy medows...She shows all the future promise which she brought to us in the years after this movie's release in 2002. A highly recommended watch. Gather with your loved ones and cosy up in a blanket with a flask of Coffee and a popcorn bucket, and click play - Panic Room!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

Full Review

Julian Rex M

Slick, suspenseful, and suitably fun, Panic Room is a welcome detour for noir-maestro David Fincher that makes great use of its lean cast and riveting atmosphere to create a hearty, wholly satisfying thriller.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/20/25

Full Review

Dwayne W

Beautifully shot with stunning performances

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/17/25

Full Review

Faiz D

This might be David Fincher's worst movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

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David Fincher

Director

Jodie Foster

Meg Altman

Forest Whitaker

Burnham

Dwight Yoakam

Raoul

Jared Leto

Junior

Kristen Stewart

Sarah Altman

Panic Room: Official Clip - Get Out of My House!

2:11

Panic Room: Official Clip - Turn the Gas Off!

2:11

Panic Room: Official Clip - Hand in the Door

2:13

Panic Room: Official Clip - Discovering the Burglars

2:11

Panic Room: Official Clip - Unsung Hero

2:01

Panic Room: Official Clip - Thanks, Burnham

2:03

Panic Room: Official Clip - The Panic Room

1:47

Panic Room: Official Clip - I'm Raoul

2:11

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Synopsis

Trapped in their New York brownstone's panic room, a hidden chamber built as a sanctuary in the event of break-ins, newly divorced Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) and her young daughter Sarah (Kristen Stewart) play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with three intruders - Burnham (Forest Whitaker), Raoul (Dwight Yoakam) and Junior (Jared Leto) - during a brutal home invasion. But the room itself is the focal point because what the intruders really want is inside it.

Director: David Fincher
Producer: Ceán Chaffin, Judy Hofflund, David Koepp, Gavin Polone
Screenwriter: David Koepp
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Hofflund/Polone, Columbia Pictures
Rating: R (Violence|Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 29, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $95.3M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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