Mike Enslin is a writer who specializes in debunking paranormal occurrences and is always everything but scared. One day he gets a card saying that he should check in to room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel which he does and in that very room he's confronted with something... something of true horror.
While I really dug Mikael Håfströms flick Evil (Ondskan), I wasn't a fan of his Drowning Ghost (Strandvaskaren). I did however like the very basic idea but didn't like how it was executed (neither did I like the slasher part) so I was a bit sceptical when I heard he was gonna direct 1408.. actually, for a bunch of different reasons. First off, it was gonna star John Cusack, an actor I admire but nevertheless, I couldn't really picture him in a supposedly scary film. Secondly, it was gonna be based on a novel by Stephen King and we all know what those flicks often turn out like, with a few exceptions of course. And third, it was gonna be a Hollywood movie and that's oftentimes pretty much everything but impressive since they have a way to mess horror movies up.
So with a few doubts hanging thick in the air I parked my behind infront of the tv and just like that I was extremely drawn into what turned out to be one helluva horror film indeed. 1408 got me intrigued right at the start and kept on delivering for quite some time. I gotta admit that about one hour into the movie I had lost a bit of interest but got into the film again shortly after and found the very outcome to be quite a good piece of horror cinema, something I would never have expected from the start.
 
What was really cool about the film was that it took off right away and built a whole lotta suspense around room number 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel, so when Cusack later on entered the actual room an eerie feel sat in right then and there... very cool indeed! The film kept on rolling and a doubtfull Cusack kept investigating the room, believing that it was all a load of crock and nonsense. But then the scares started raining down and some of them were just ace. I really don't wanna say too much about what actually happens, what was scary and what was not because that'll just ruin it for potential viewers. But I can say this, and that is that if you enjoy a scary film with a clever story then you should most definitely check out 1408. Trust me, it's worth it.
As for pacing and all, the movie moves at a good rate and while it does infact slow down somewhere in the middle parts, it gets going again relatively fast. Cusack himself is impressive and believable all the way through, but all people involved delivers and Samuel L. Jackson was very cool as the hotel manager, warning Cusack about the room in a way that makes one feel scared of it before even seen it. It's a slick film and a great King adaptation, definitely worth watching.
In the end 1408 proved to be a really good chiller, actually much better than expected. Not only does it look very slick but has a story that unfolds in a cool way and good actors that adds a genuine feel to the overall movie. Recommended.
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ALTERNATIVE TITLE:
MOVIE YEAR: 2007
DIRECTOR: Mikael Håfström
WRITING CREDITS: Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander
GENRE: Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
CAST: John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack
COUNTRY: USA
RUNTIME: 94 min
RATING: 8/10
1408 Website/IMDB Click here
1408 Trailer Click here
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