1408 (2007) Movie Review

[WillRiker]

Movie Title: 1408

Director: Mikael Håfström

Rated: Ireland:15A / Singapore:PG / South Korea:15 / Hong Kong:IIB / UK:15 / Canada:13+ (Quebec) / USA:PG-13

Genre: Fantasy / Horror / Thriller

Runtime: 94 Minutes

Viewed: In my chair on the TV screen

Trailer:

Hosted On: Morty's Twisted World

Synopsis: Based on the short Stephen King horror story of the same name, 1408 surrounds supernatural writer Mike Enslin, an author of two hit books focusing on supernatural phenomena. As research for his latest book, Enslin is determined to check out the notorious room 1408 in a New York City hotel by personally staying as a guest in the fabled room. With the intention that 1408 is just a myth perpetuated by stories and rumor that Enslin has collected for his past works. However, hotel manager Mr. Olin has strong objections to Enslin's stay and only warns him of possible danger to come. But Enslin is determined to go through and convinced that the horrific past of 1408 is just mere coincidence and a myth. But what Mike Enslin is about to experience is no myth, as 1408 truly is a room where the guests don't check out by noon.

Opinion: First thing first...which is always a good idea in my book. I am a huge fan of John Cusack and Samuel L Jackson, and Stephen King is probably my favourite author, so this had a lot of things to bring me to watch it.

The thing is with this movie is not to approach it as a horror flick, it isn't..not really. Because of a lot of his earlier writing Stephen King is often labelled as a "horror writer" but anyone that's actually read his books knows that he writes about so much more than just horror. If anything this is really more of a ghost story than anything else and if you approach it as such, you won't be too disappointed. If you're expecting gore, blood and guts...it's probably not for you.

I've been let down by many King adaptations in the past, although with recent additions such as Green Mile and Shawshank, not so much, and although it's been a while since I read the short story 1408, what I remember of it seems to have been faithfully reproduced in the movie.

Cusack is terrific as always, and as the flick centre's pretty much around just his character in a Manhattan hotel room, on his own, he carries the movie, and carries it well as the tension heightens between Enslin and the room as it throws all kinds of weird things at him to deal with, including, but not limited to bleeding wallpaper, morphing paintings, extreme temperatures and, most chillingly, a digital clock-radio that blares the Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun” at the most inopportune moments.

I know that the whole "haunted house" thing has been done a million times over, but this movie has a psychological component as Enslin is forced to face his own inner demons and you're never quite sure if what's happening is real or all in his mind...and just when you think you have the answer....you don't.

Samuel L Jackson is really nothing more than a cameo role as the hotel manager who desperately tries to stop Enslin from checking in to room 1408 with no success, and as ever delivers to his usual high standard, (in a side note I watched him in Snakes on a Plane tonight and he was good in that too).

All in all it's a scary (kinda) in parts old fashioned style ghost story that I did really enjoy and recommend that you check it out if you like those kinds of movies.

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