Review of Disturbia (2007) by Jonathan C — 20 Jun 2013

By: Jonathan Carrillo.

Summary:

After being sentenced to house arrest, a teenage boy discovers his neighbor is a serial killer and must take matters into his own hands.

Act 1:

Seventeen-year-old Kale Brecht and his father set out in a fishing trip to bond more intimately. As they enjoy their father and son bonding, they?re suddenly involved in a horrific car collision. The tragic accident takes the life of his father and leaves Kale with a traumatizing experience and gruesome memory. One year later Kale remains haunted by the accident, which interferes with his personally life. During class Mr. Gutierrez, Kale?s Spanish teacher, provokes him about procrastinating. During the confrontation Mr. Gutierrez mentions Kale?s father, which enrages Kale. Kale loses control and welts his teacher down to the floor. Kale?s prosecution leads him to three ?month house arrest averting juvenile detention.

Kale believes his punishment is more like a vacation. He spent his days doing favorite past times until his mother, Julie Brecht, forces him to help out around the house. Kale? isolation from the outside world starts to get to him and begins to ponder what to do with his time. Kale looks outside his window and discovers the wonders of his neighborhood. Kale falls upon the girl next door, Ashley who recently moves in. He takes deep interest in her to the point where he begins watching her.

Later on in the story, Kale?s best friend Ronnie comes back from his trip to see Kale. The both of them have much to say, but Kale excitingly shows Ronnie what he has been uncovering around the neighborhood. Kale takes Ronnie to the window where his attractive female neighbor is swimming, leaving the best for last. The next day Kale attempts to befriend Ashley but merely does so. When night approaches Kales watches the news and becomes intrigued with a tragic story of a missing female. They release vital information telling people to keep an eye out for a royal blue mustang with a dent on the side. Before hitting the sack, Kale notices his neighbor Robert Turner, pulling into his driveway in a royal blue mustang with a dent on the side. Kale becomes suspicious and begins to investigate Turner?s life.

Act 2:

As Ronnie searches for information on Turner and the recent missing woman, Kale watches Ashley as she goes swimming. Ronnie joins Kale in his mischief act but are then found out by Ashley as she notices the two boys looking at her. The two boys panic hoping it was a false alarm but knocking is heard at the front door. They open the door unveiling Ashley, as she stands wet and cheery in front of them. She says nothing about the two watching her and persists that she?s been locked out of her house. Kale let?s her in his house and as she looks around his room she questions him about the binoculars she finds. Kale freezes and Ronnie explains the binoculars are to watch Turner, her neighbor as well. Ronnie informs Ashley about the missing girl and how Turner?s mustang is an identical match to the one shown in the news. They all see Turner pulling out in his second car from his garage and discern the mustang but with no dent. Ashley becomes skeptic and disregards the idea of Turner being a suspect. Kale becomes befuddled that the dent disappeared but remembers that the suspect was from Texas. Kale notices the long horn skull affixed on the wall and tells Ashley that only long horns come from Texas. Ashley buys into the info and joins the boys in their investigation.

The following night they watch Turner again and this time with a female in his company. As they watch him they become spooked by what they see. Turner is seen with a knife in hand chasing the female around his house violently. Ashley and Kale film the whole thing but only end up with a false incident. They call it a night and as Kale continues investigating he hears a female scream coming from Turners house and starts filming again. Kale becomes severely frightened as he sees turner looking back at him. Kale ducks swiftly, horrified with many things running through his mind. After a few minutes he sees the female leaving Turner?s house casually.

The next day Kale heads downstairs and stumbles upon Turner in his kitchen. Kale confronts him and before Turner can speak, Kale?s mother comes walking in telling him that Turner helped her with a flat tire. At this point Kale is aware that Turner knows about the spying but he says nothing. Night approaches, Kale and Ashley have an argument about her having a party with the current situation. As the make up they catch sight of Turner dragging a mysterious blue bag with blood dripping. They are both convinced that Turner is a murderer.

The next day they follow Turner?s every move to get a chance to get into his garage and uncover the mysterious bloody mess contained in the bag. Ronnie breaks into Tuner?s car and Ashley follows Turner to alert Kale when Turner will return. They?re able to achieve their risky task and retrieve the code to open the garage door.

Act 3:

Later on, Ronnie rushes to Kale?s house exclaiming that he dropped his cell phone in Turner?s car in the process of getting the code. Kale relaxes him and insures him that they will get it back but must complete one more task. Kale makes Ronnie sneak into Turner?s garage to examine the suppose carcass in the blue bag. Ronnie videotapes the whole thing for evidence while having Kale speak to him through a radio. As Ronnie is about to unveil the blue bag, the garage door opens and Ronnie makes a run for it. Communication cuts off from Ronnie and Kale. Kale panics fearing that Turner has taken Ronnie so he decides to go save his pal. By the time he reaches Turner?s house the police arrive just in time to stop Kale. As they?re about to take him back to his home, Kale urges police to check Turner?s garage for the blue bag. They sympathetically check the blue bag and only find a dead dear.

The police speak with Kale?s mother informing her that Kale is due in court for violating his house arrest detention. They also notify her that Mr. Turner can file charges on Kale for breaking into his house. Julie decides to go over Turner?s house to convince him to drop any charges and avert anything bad from occurring. Kale begs his mother not to go but she has the final word. Kale keeps a look out of for his mom; suddenly he gets a txt from Ronnie, which tells him to look in his closet. Kale opens the door revealing Ronnie on the floor but Ronnie jumps and scares Kale. Kale gets upset but calms down savoring the fact that Ronnie is alive.

Ronnie shows the tape to Kale of his ?great escape? and as Kale watches he notices a strange part in the video. Kale zooms in repeatedly until he makes out the strange object in the video. By the time Kale makes out that the object is a dead female, Turner has already taken his mom hostage and knocked out Ronnie cold. Kale tries to flee his house trying to step out of his perimeter to alert police, but Turners grabs a hold of him. Kale sits tied and ducted tape; Turner unveils his plan to frame Kale for the murder of his mom, Ronnie, and his own life. Then Ashley comes running to Kale?s house distracting Tuner giving Kale the chance to run off. Kale and Ashley flee the house; Kale decides to go save his mom and tells Ashley to go get help.

Kale makes it into the house and finds Turner?s secret chamber where he accomplishes all his evil acts. He finds his mother and before being able to free her, Turner comes out of the darkness and tries to kill Kale. Turner gets his moment to finish Kale but Julie stabs Turner giving Kale the chance to kill Turner. Turner falls down into a pond of floating cadavers ending is life. Kale and his mother leave the garage as police arrives at the scene. Fortunately for Kale, he is relieved from house arrest for doing a good deed. Kale now.