1408 (Widescreen Edition)
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Movie Reviews of 1408 (Widescreen Edition)
Movie Review: Scary, Spooky but .. Try the Hampton Inn next time ...
Summary: 4 Stars
1408 is an effective film adaptation of the Stephen King (audio) short story. John Cusack does a credible job as the protagonist Mike Enslin, a cynical writer of non-fiction books who visits allegedly spooky places to debunk their claims of ghostly specters. Against the advice of the hotel manager (Samuel L. Jackson), Enslin visits a supposedly haunted room in the Dolphin Hotel in New York City, insisting on staying in Room 1408, the locus of many a tragic event. He finds that painful memories flood his mind as he descends progressively into the grip of the hotel's malevolent power. The special effects are spooky and just short of over the top.
Some viewers may criticize the film's lack of realism, most notably the ability of anyone other than a rock star or royalty to get a hotel room this large in New York City. More likely you get a room so small that you have to step outside just to change your mind. But what can you expect for a mere $617.00 a night in Gotham, the City that Never Sleeps?
Or talk about scary -- $12 for a 4-oz. tin of honey roasted peanuts in the Honor Bar? Frightening!!
1408 is an effective fright charge likely to ignite shudders for those who like spooky movies, almost as scary as trying to find an economical hotel room in NYC!!!
Movie Review: Ghosties and Goulies and Long-Legged Beasties and Things That Go Bump...
Summary: 4 Stars
I am not a huge fan of horror. I like "thriller," but in last 25+ years most horror films have been "slasher" - blood, guts, and gore - instead of good, honest, edge of your seat psychological thriller. 1408, however, successfully returns the thriller genre to the big screen.
1408 pulls you in quickly and keeps on going. The pacing is just right. The intensity of this film is excellently timed, bringing you to your edge of your seat, and then releasing you. This rollercoaster effect actually increases the "thrill" of the thriller; you do not get numb and disconnected from constant slashing and bashing, fright and horror.
The performances are terrific. John Cusak is great as always. Samuel Jackson is riveting and appropriately spooky. The little girl, Jasmine Jessica Anthony, is extremely talented. The rest of the supporting cast does a similarly nice job.
As I said, there is very blood, guts, and gore in this film; it is a true thriller. It is the LACK of said blood, guts, and gore that gives this film its psychological edge, and prevents it from becoming a slash `em up film.
I recommend this film. For a good, old fashioned, yet up to date thriller, 1408 is the movie to see.
Movie Review: The Game goes supernatural
Summary: 4 Stars
In many ways 1408 reminds me of 1997's "The Game," the Michael Douglas psychological thriller. In both cases, the movies' writers try to cram a maximum number of head fakes into as short amount of time as possible. The two films also put forth the very implausible idea that if you manipulate a person's mind enough, and mentally break him, that somehow that's going to heal him, or at least begin the process of healing. Count me as skeptical on that one.
The two movies do differ on the source of their protagonists' psychological and physical torture. While The Game tries to make a non-supernatural case for psychotic manipulation, 1408 just presents the supernatural as fact. In 1408, causes and motives for the supernatural events are irrelevant, with the minor implication, as presented by Samuel L. Jackson in a refrigerator of all places, that the people who stay in the inhospitable room are somehow guilty of bringing their doom upon themselves.
The DVD provides alternative endings to the movie release. They're just as good in their own ways as the theatrical ending, which has the more palatable theme of restoration, rather than martyrdom. Choose whichever ending suits your predilections.
Movie Review: Better than expected
Summary: 4 Stars
I didn't have high expectations for this movie, just because the premise seemed like it would make it unavoidably corny. It's actually pretty entertaining and keeps you engaged throut. Even though you know bad stuff is going to happen to Cusaks character the minute he checks into room 1408, the suspense and buildup works suprisingly well, although you have to figure that in real life, a person might've tried doing what Cusak ultimately did much earlier, but then you wouldn't have a movie, would you? lol ...You also sorta have to suspend any and all plausible motives that Samuel L. Jacksons character may or may not have....so don't ask yourself 'would a hotel manager do what he did'? I never quite figured out his MO, but his role is not too far above a cameo anyway and not really paramount to the story. What did seem too Hollywood , was weaving something from the main characters past into the story , in this case Cusaks dead daughter, which the room somehow knew about and proceeded to use to turn the psychological screws on Cusaks gradual dementia. Predictable. But like the movie, still entertaining.Movie Review: CHECK OUT TIME
Summary: 4 Stars
A tour de force performance by the underrated JOHN CUSACK fuels this creepy adaptation of Stephen King's short story.
CUSACK plays Michael Enslin, a cynical author of those coffee table pictorials on supposedly haunted mansions/hotels. Enslin, embittered by the death of his little girl, boasts that in none of his investigations did he have any ghostly encounters...until he decides to stay overnight in Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel where over 50 people met mysterious deaths. Creepy hotel manager Samuel L Jackson warns Enslin that no one lasts more than an hour in the room and he almost refuses to let him stay, but Enslin persists and his night of terror begins. The movie has some good jolts, and although it's script is sometimes muddled and the ending a little anticlimactic, 1408 is a good ghost story and Cusack dominates it with his performance. In a non-horror genre, this performance would be generating Oscar buzz, but it's rare that the academy honors this type of film, although Cusack is that good!!