after have problem in chicago and the solomon family move to a remote north dakota farmhouse to start anew and but their attempt at an idyllic farming life be disrupt when their teen daughter jess ( kristen stewart ) and her 3 year old brother ben start seeing and be attack by supernatural being who would not allow them to live in peace . the messenger start off decently although it eventually become a generic horror film that a lot more humorous than frighten . after read the premise and i think this could have be a decent movie since it sound creepy and it hold potential . unfortunately and the film do not live up to it potential although i should have expect this since the trailer be awful . the screenplay be probably the bad part about it . it be full of silly sequence and bland dialog . the character be not develop at all and most of them be act like a bunch of idiot so it be hard to feel sympathy for them . the director do a horrible job at build up suspense . they mainly rely on cheap scare like loud noise and random jump . the music be really over the top and it just make it easy for the viewer to telegraph the next scary moment . i also do not like how they pretty much just use one location for the whole movie . the house be the centerpiece of the story and that where the majority of the filming take place so it get a little boring after awhile to see the same area . also and i do not like the close ups of the actor . during a conversation and the camera would continually jerk from character to another in the span of five second and it get really annoy . the director do create a decent atmosphere and they do get some point for make their movie stylish . however and since we have come a long way in term of style and effect and it not really that hard to make your movie look nice especially if you be work on a hollywood film . the acting be atrocious and if this movie have be release in december and i be sure it would have receive several razzie nomination . kristen stewart show some talent in panic room but you wouldn not be able to tell she have talent by watch her performance in the messenger . she be okay at act scar and that it . the rest of the time she be dry and unconvincing . penelope anne miller be just awful when it come to everything . it sound like she be read her line and she have some of the bad facial expression i have ever see . dylan mcdermott be just very wooden and he show almost no emotion . john corbett give the best performance and he have a couple of good scene . the twin who play ben be also decent and manage to out act many of the adult actor . overall and this lame horror film be not worth watch because of it blandness and lazy film making . rating 4/10 .