On the surface, “”Lakeview Terrace”” seems like a simple thriller about a neighbor from homeowner hell. In reality, this film is an overly-dramatic take on racial tension and power abuse.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Abel Turner, a single father of two and a Los Angeles Police Department officer on the verge of retirement. The self-appointed neighborhood watchdog, Turner is extremely protective of his children and his property.

When a young interracial couple, played by Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington, moves into the house next door, Abel takes offense to their relationship and becomes obsessed with making their lives miserable. From intrusive floodlights to slashed tires, he stops at nothing to force them out.

A symbolic wildfire creeps closer and closer as tension builds between the neighbors. The couple is helpless against a police officer more than willing to abuse his power.

Jackson does his best to save a painfully slow-moving and repetitive plot with a creepy and intimidating performance. The issue in this film is overshadowed, however, when the conflict escalates beyond reason. The story evolves from a social drama to a cheap thriller, and loses its purpose in doing so.