The movie eventually builds itself up with to much potential, that it can't finish strongly. Raul for one example, was what I thought, mysterious, evil, and just plain mean while he had his mask on. I thought he could be one of those ruthless villians you hate. But once the mask was removed, he didn't look very cool, and he turned into a big baby and lost the ruthlessness that made him cool.

As Panic Room progresses and the robbers get more desperate, Koepp's standoff scenario begins to work against him. When the bad guys do gain access to the room, and have Sarah captive, they could have held her for ransom, and Meg being a good protective mother would have had to have given anything to get her back. But instead the villians help Sarah with her medical problem that we don't find out about until she is practically dying. With millions of dollars and two eyewitnesses at stake, the story becomes more and more difficult to accept.

Foster's transition from a fairly weak and downcast woman to a mother willing to do anything to protect her child stretches her talents, but she proves to be up to the contortions required for the role. Newcomer Stewart does a bang-up job as Sarah. Of the villains, Whitaker and Yoakam (until the mask is removed) are solid, but Leto's character seems confused about why he's there robbing the place, and he is pretty annoying at the beginning.