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What it's about:
Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is an author who has made his name by debunking fake myths about haunted houses and has recently separated from his wife after that tragic death of his young daughter. One day he receives a cryptic invitation to visit the notorious room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel, and soon comes to realise that horror of the supernatural is real.
What we thought of it:
1408 is a movie that doesn't look that great on paper – it's a Stephen King adaptation (usually a sign of poor quality if you consider the dozens of bad SK movies out there), and the two leads are possibly the last people you think of when you think horror, and the story itself is as old as the hills. The good news is that 1408 melds these elements into an enjoyable ghost story.
John Cusack is pretty decent as the cocky Mike Enslin, hiding his misery from the world, although when he is facing real danger he comes across as more flappy than terrified. It's pretty much Cusack's movie from start to finish, and his strengths and weaknesses are echoed in the atmosphere.
1408 works best when the tension builds without showing too much, but when the various special effects-laden set pieces kick in it often crosses over from gripping to "Didn't I see that in the X-Files?" silly . When it does work, the nightmare imagery is effective and gives things quite a retro Twilight Zone feel.
Another reason 1408 succeeds is that it doesn't aim as high as other horrors. It sets out to be a decent haunted house (room) movie. To its detriment, it can be seen as The Shining lite, although it's no bad thing to be compared to Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, which is also the only quality film bearing King's name.
Luckily the missteps are overshadowed by the good atmosphere and brisk pace, which make 1408 very watchable. It's a simple story and it delivers the thrills. Definitely recommended if you're a horror fan and sick of gorefests like Hostel and Saw.
- Ivan Sadler
Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is an author who has made his name by debunking fake myths about haunted houses and has recently separated from his wife after that tragic death of his young daughter. One day he receives a cryptic invitation to visit the notorious room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel, and soon comes to realise that horror of the supernatural is real.
What we thought of it:
1408 is a movie that doesn't look that great on paper – it's a Stephen King adaptation (usually a sign of poor quality if you consider the dozens of bad SK movies out there), and the two leads are possibly the last people you think of when you think horror, and the story itself is as old as the hills. The good news is that 1408 melds these elements into an enjoyable ghost story.
John Cusack is pretty decent as the cocky Mike Enslin, hiding his misery from the world, although when he is facing real danger he comes across as more flappy than terrified. It's pretty much Cusack's movie from start to finish, and his strengths and weaknesses are echoed in the atmosphere.
1408 works best when the tension builds without showing too much, but when the various special effects-laden set pieces kick in it often crosses over from gripping to "Didn't I see that in the X-Files?" silly . When it does work, the nightmare imagery is effective and gives things quite a retro Twilight Zone feel.
Another reason 1408 succeeds is that it doesn't aim as high as other horrors. It sets out to be a decent haunted house (room) movie. To its detriment, it can be seen as The Shining lite, although it's no bad thing to be compared to Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, which is also the only quality film bearing King's name.
Luckily the missteps are overshadowed by the good atmosphere and brisk pace, which make 1408 very watchable. It's a simple story and it delivers the thrills. Definitely recommended if you're a horror fan and sick of gorefests like Hostel and Saw.
- Ivan Sadler
