User Reviews

The people complaining about practicality "he could have done this" or "done that to escape" completely missed the entire point of the movie. Being in room 1408 is the visual/physical representation of him grieving, mourning and learning to move on from the untimely death of his daughter. He experiences every stage of grief at some point during the movie as he works his way through each one which is represented as a different "haunt"

While doing some research before reviewing 1408, I was shocked to discover that this was the first time since 2004's Riding the Bullet that a film based on a Stephen King story had gotten the big screen treatment. 1408 marks somewhat of a comeback to the silver screen for the author after mainly working with television the past couple years. Director Mikael Hafstrom has created the most atmospheric and downright tense thriller I can think of so far this year. The premise may be thin, and yeah, it doesn't always make a lot of sense. But, is it ever effective.

Mike Enslin (John Cusack) used to be a promising author until the untimely death of his young daughter, Katie (Jasmine Jessica Anthony). He now spends his time writing trashy paranormal novels about the world's most haunted areas. He travels the world, doing research by staying overnight at places that are supposed to be haunted, gets some colorful background info that he can use for material, and then moves on to his next job. One day, Mike receives a postcard informing him of an old hotel in New York City called the Dolphin Hotel, which is supposed to have a room that has quite the history. Doing some private research, he learns that the Dolphin has had a long and tragic history of deaths, all of them surrounding the guests that have stayed in Room 1408. Mike books the room, despite the warnings of the hotel manager, Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson). Entering the room, nothing seems ominous at first. But then, the room itself begins to take on a life of its own, and begins tormenting Mike with various ghostly apparitions, mind tricks, and even displaying his own painful past before him in various ways.

1408 is the second thriller set around a hotel released in less than two months (the other being April's Vacancy), and is by far the superior film. The film is actually quite subtle in its way of creeping us out and disturbing us, which is a nice change of pace from the recent Hostel: Part II. Rather than bombard the audience with ghostly special effects and gore, the movie gets under your skin and goes for a much more psychological approach. The screenplay by Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karaszewski, wisely does not even attempt to explain Room 1408. It's just a very evil presence that can somehow look deep within troubled souls, and torture them to death with their own personal demons. In the wrong hands, this material could have been laughable. Even though the movie frequently flies into the realm of the unbelievable, it manages to somehow stay grounded.

A lot of this has to do with the fact that the film never loses its way, and become an excuse to throw as many special effects and jump scares into the movie as it possibly can. The human element of Mike Enslin is always at the center of the story itself, and its scares. The movie is built around the fact that he is forced to face his personal demons the longer he stays in his room, as well as try to keep his mind in check as various nightmarish hallucinations are paraded before him. It's much more effective than the usual characters that have passed as villains in recent paranormal films (usually gray-skinned people with hair over their faces), and it never once becomes heavy-handed or preachy. This is also a tricky balance to pull off. When the room started showing him flashbacks of Mike's own past, I grew nervous, thinking that the movie was going to start hitting us over the head with morales. Fortunately, it never once loses its sense of the eerie, and remains appropriately unsettling throughout.

At the center of the movie is John Cusack, who literally has to carry the movie almost by himself. This is essentially a one-man show for most of its running time, with fleeting apparitions being his main companions. Cusack has long been a favorite of mine, and this is one of his stronger recent roles. He not only has to carry almost the entire film on his own, but he also has to convincingly act like he is slowly going insane without hamming it up, or losing his personality. Any actor can tell you that madness is a difficult thing to depict. He strikes a very good balance, and remains believable throughout. Samuel L. Jackson is also notable in his small, but no less important, role as the manager who tries to talk Mike out of his decision to stay in the room. And then, of course, there is Room 1408, which is a character itself. The way it is constantly changing itself, right down to the paintings on the wall, creates an effectively creepy atmosphere that is continuously bizarre, but never so much so that we lose our sense to believe.

1408 succeeds where so many other films have failed in that it is not about apparitions jumping out at the actors or lurking in dark shadows. It digs much deeper for its horror than simple jolt thrills, and becomes an effectively thrilling horror film. It could be argued that the whole thing loses some weight when we apply logic to the story. But seriously, who wants to apply logic to a movie about an evil hotel room that can read your mind? When all is said and done, 1408 is a reminder of what horror can do. It can do so much more than thrill us. It can also make us laugh and leave us captivated. Perhaps what's more surprising than the fact that the movie can accomplish all that is that so few other horror films can.

John Cusack gets drunk and trashes a hotel room.

What could be more fun?

Well, how about a hotel room that isn't just haunted, but is actually a place where the universe's physical laws - especially the ones that deal with trivial matters such as space and time - don't really apply, and the room itself is a sentient manifestation of evil.

Getting better?

Well, what if we give our 'sentient manifestation of evil' a consciousness and the ability to penetrate and read the subconscious minds of anybody who happens to be in the room and then show them their worst fears or deepest pains?

Still not satisfied?

OK - just for the sheer hell of it (and there is plenty of sheer hell to go around in this film) - why not make Cusack a self-righteous investigative documentarian who is going around debunking hauntings all over the U.S., but is actually in denial about enormous emotional problems centering around his daughter's death and his own childhood.

If this sounds like fertile ground for entertainment, and you don't mind getting scared half to death, you should go see 1408 right away.

It was long ago, and I was different person when I read the Steve King story upon which this film is based, so I can't really comment on how close to the text 1408 is. What I can say, however, is that this film is a more true representation of the feeling of King's writing and pacing than almost any I can think of. This is also the first film I have seen in many years that actually made my skin crawl (across the floor of a crowded theater).

The film wastes relatively little time setting up Mike Enslin's character and situation, but once its all on the table, you find yourself incapable of escaping either. I have seen a couple of reviews which attack 1408 for lack of characterization. These reviewers must have wandered into the wrong theater, because they've not seen the same film I just saw. My advice to these reviewers is - try paying more attention to what your watching instead of your pre-conceptions about the genre. Cusack's character is beautifully set up - from his editor's "he can get kind of morose." to his more-or-less constant drinking, painful flashbacks focusing on his daughter, and inability to communicate with people he cares about. It's all there, for those who have the attention span and sensitivity to look for it.

Cusack's performance is a tour-de-force of physical and psychological acting. Having a hard time imagining him in this role? Take what Cusack did in "Being John Malkovich", quadruple the intensity, the fear, and the suspense, add alcoholism and self-denial, and there you have Mike Enslin. I never doubted that Cusack had the raw talent, but was actually surprised to see him pull it off SO well. Although the films are radically different, this could be for him what 'Leaving Las Vegas' was to Nick Cage, or what 'Hollywoodland' should be for Ben Affleck. The rest of the cast all have fairly minor roles, but are fine.

Mikael Hafstrom did a very nice job with directing. There is never a pointless scene, nor a dull moment, nor any loose ends. The plot is spelled out in detail, and all the clues are there to unravel the mysteries, but the clues are not so unsubtle as to permit you to guess what's next. As I said before, the feeling and pace of King's work come through very nicely. The special effects are all very convincing (relatively little CGI, and where animation was used, it was very well done),and the camera-work is picture perfect. I was especially impressed by the fact that 1408 cost about $25,000,000 to make - a mere pittance compared to many of the schlock-fests Hollywood horror has tossed up recently.

Very highly recommended for people who tend to sleep easily at night. If you are an insomniac, catch a matinée like I did.

I've never seen a horror film quite like 1408--can you even call this film a "horror"? Well, it's not the horror movie we're used to seeing in this day and age. The films that are supposed to scare us nowadays are made from the same recycled junk we've been seeing for years now. Nonsensical plots are dreamed up just to make use of the exciting range of CGI. Underdeveloped characters we don't care about are tortured/murdered by a psycho for no apparent reason. Most of the intended audience for these movies isn't even scared anymore.

Let me tell you, 1408 is different. Its main intention is not to scare you (though it undoubtedly will); it wants to tell you a story. It doesn't start out as a scary movie. John Cusack plays cult writer Mike Enslin, a man who visits supposed haunted spots in order to debunk their reputations in the mildly-successful books he writes with titles such as "10 Nights in Haunted Hotels". When the room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel in New York is brought to his attention, research tells him that the death tally in the room is in the double digits. He sees the room as a solid ending chapter for the new book he's working on.

The film is based on a Stephen King short story, which I had the pleasure of reading before I saw the film. While the film does take its creative liberties, it never forgets where it comes from. Writers Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karazewski seem to be very well-read on the author, and the movie always feels just like Stephen King--if you've ever read him, you know what I'm talking about. There have been times when I've been reading a novel of his and had to tell myself, "Calm down, it's just a book." There are moments in this film of such mind-gnawing anxiety, such high-adrenaline terror that I had to tell myself, "Calm down, it's just a movie." (Note: Stephen King does recommend the film.)

Director Mikael Håfström never takes his audience's intelligence for granted. We're never beaten over the head with the same thing; the film is always headed somewhere new and exciting. The innovative ideas here are just terrific.

John Cusack is brilliant as the cynical writer with a tragic past. He's never unbelievable, and he always nails the character down perfectly. There was never a time when I wasn't rooting for Mike Enslin in 1408. There was never a time when I did not want him to get out of the room. Cusack's emotional range is really put into play here, and the casting could not have been any more dead-on.

Samuel L. Jackson gives a chilling performance as a manager who is intent on not letting Mike enter room 1408. His determination to convince Mike not to enter the room only fuels Mike's determination to enter it. Through him, we pick up on the facts about the room Mike's research couldn't provide. His warnings give us chill bumps but leave enough open so that we still don't know what we're in for.

And with room 1408, you never really know what you're in for. Who am I to ruin it for you? Just know that this is not a mystery. We will not come to understand why the room is the way it is. There are, of course, those who will be disappointed by 1408--because when all is said and done, they will find it's not a movie about a freaky hotel room, but rather the man who's trapped in that hotel room and what he finds there.

At a time that sees cinemas inundated with slasher movies, along comes a pleasant surprise like 1408. It hearkens back to the good old psychological horror flicks of the 70s and 80s. Something we don't see much of nowadays. Ones where normal people wind up in circumstances beyond their control. Its not much of a surprise then that the film is based upon a short story by Stephen King.

I haven't read the story, but I have a feeling I'd enjoy it if the film is anything to go by. Although Stephen King is a fine writer, one of his greatest faults is he tends to fall into too much of a self-indulgence. Some books, like Insomnia could easily have been trimmed down without losing anything important. But King doesn't always know when to call it a day. He has to include minor characters that slow down the narrative. It was something that particularly crippled Insomnia. That book was more of a chore than a pleasure to get through.

King's best work is when he reduces stories to a bare minimum, and allows the ideas to grow out from there. Books like Misery, Cujo, The Shining. All books that are a strong influence on 1408. The idea behind it is simple. A sceptical writer, Mike Enslin checks into a so-called haunted hotel room. He's made a career out of debunking ghost stories and folk tales, and he doesn't expect 1408 to be any different.

Except this one is haunted. No one has ever managed to survive a night in 1408. In fact they don't usually last more than an hour. 56 people have died within its walls. And the room arrays all sorts of horrors, physical and psychological, driving Mike to more desperate methods to escape, before it kills him.

Its the sheer simplicity at the heart of it that makes 1408 such a wonderful horror film. Certainly one of the best I've seen in some time. Watching different ideas take shape to propel the story, its something you'd imagine Vincenzo Natali dreaming up if he decided to make horror films and not science-fiction. 1408 is a wonderful display of misdirections and jarring reversals. Especially during the initial scenes.

Mike hears nothing but tales of woe and misery about 1408 from the hotel manager (rather effectively played by Samuel L. Jackson). Mike doesn't believe it. Jackson becomes more insistent. Mike becomes more sceptical. And we the audience are that all the more curious to see the blood-curdling horrors of 1408. When we finally get there, we're half expecting to see blood bleeding down the walls or objects flying about the room. Except its the exact opposite. Its just an ordinary hotel room. Sterile. Bland wallpaper. The epitome of mundane normalcy. But its just a facade. To lull you in. That's the trap of 1408.

Director Mikael Hafstrom's handling of the initial scenes is really quite masterful. He almost pulls an age old magicians trick on us. Making us want to see magic before it actually comes. As soon as Mike enters the room, although it looks normal, we keep waiting for the shoe to drop. It makes the tension more edgier. And when the room finally delivers its shocks, they really pack a punch. Bravo to Hafstrom for waiting so long and not rushing into the action. A pitfall a lesser director could easily have fallen into.

Hafstrom allows the horrors to build with a real smooth assurance. First its just little things. Like clock radios suddenly switching on. Windows slamming down. A malfunctioning thermostat. All things that can happen in real life. Nothing to signify anything supernatural. But then things get worse. When Mike tries to escape via window ledge, it just leads to nowhere. The air ducts are a rat maze of never-ending shafts and dead-ends. It eventually gets so bad its as if the room itself has taken on a life of its own.

When Mike tries to call his wife through his laptop, an image of Mike starts talking to her, trying to convince her to come to the hotel, and entrap her in the room too. It even winks at the real Mike! One thing that surprises about 1408 is its sense of humour. Parts of the film are really blackly funny. The laptop scene. The different ways the room frustrates Mike's attempts to escape. Best of all is the clock radio. Not only does it give Mike constant reminders of how long he has to live, it plays (cheerfully) at various times the song from The Carpenters "We've only just begun." Like some morbid version of Groundhog Day!

The film's script runs us through a rigorous gamut of emotions. From curiosity, to discovery to outright horror. And John Cusack handles them all superbly. He's a good choice for the part of Mike. The wry irony he's mastered to perfection over the years is well suited to a seen it all before sceptic who gets in way over his head. He does a great job of carrying a whole film on his shoulders.

People have been quick to call 1408 a ripoff of The Shining. I don't agree. If anything, the film reminds me of the Coen classic Barton Fink. Since its more a case of a creepy hotel room rather than a hotel. And John Cusack does a far better job of playing a man driven to the edge by ghosts of the past than Jack Nicholson's irritating performance. The film ends on a few surprises. Perhaps too many. But I was kept guessing about the outcome right up until the very end.

Mikael Hafstrom seemed a little unsure of himself in his prior film, Derailed. A frustrating film that never saw the brilliance in its own material, but with 1408, he's come into his own and handles things like a pro. A rare horror film of ideas in a bankrupt genre.

"1408" is the best horror film to come out in several years. Unlike most horror films these days, it does not rely on gore and you don't leave the theater wanting to get your money back because you were cheated at the end. Some people may not like the ending but I thought it was like a good episode of "The Twilight Zone."

The thing I liked best about "1408" was that it is not just another haunted house. It is a customized portal into Hell that is made specifically for the inhabitant, in this case John Cusak. Also, the film has it's share of humor. The possessed clock radio in the room only plays The Carpenters. That must be Stephen King's idea of Hell.

If you have any inclination to see this film, you need to see it on the big screen. It is not going to translate well onto video. It stays away from the cheap tricks of other horror films and develops a creepy story instead. If you liked "The Ring" and "The Grudge," you will probably like "1408."

I loved this movie and saw it twice in the theater. I felt John carried the film nicely and I was not bored at all like some claim they were.The effects were good, and the scene where Mike Enslin is walking along the outside ledge of the hotel 14 floors off the ground trying to escape had me panicking it was so real.I guess maybe it's my fear of heights but even now when I watch it on the DVD it's scary.SunburnM29 commented that they hated the ending because it was a typical Hollywood ending where Enslin shouldn't die because it would upset the audience.I agree with him and am grateful there is a director's cut with an alternate ending where the character does die instead of surviving the room.I prefer the alternate ending because it is more believable.The theatrical ending was stupid the way it ended. Now I want to read the Stephen King short story after watching both versions of this movie.I prefer the extended director's cut because the scene in the vent was longer and was explained better.