1408 - A Room With A View....of Madness.
Written: Jun 29 '07 (Updated Jul 01 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Decent acting, good story line, moderately creepy.
Cons: Drags at times, slight overuse of special effects
The Bottom Line: Although 1408 isn't the perfect horror movie, it is a very decent example of the haunting genre with enough twists to keep things interesting.
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| mongkut's Full Review: 1408 |
I like ghost stories, or should I say I like movies involving ghost stories. I loved ghost stories as a kid, especially those alleged to be true. As an adult I find most written ghost stories are repetitive or at least remind me of things I’ve already read. I get it, the angry spirit returns to seek revenge on those it perceives caused it harm or if not it’s the spirit who forever seeks that which it has lost. I’m also over the house possessed idea. I think that happened way back in the late 70’s when I read ‘The Amityville Horror.’ I’m still a sucker for ghost stories on film mainly because I’m somehow still able to suspend my disbelief.
When it comes to movies I have little use for the chop ‘em up slasher films like SAW and Hostel. It was kind of cool way back when the original ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and ‘Friday the 13th’ were made. Now it has just turned into a 'let’s outdo each other' gore fest aimed at people who actually enjoyed watching Youtube footage of the Bagdad beheadings. The ghost story genre on the other hand is more psychological horror. An eerie noise or a glimpse of movement conjures up a seed of fear in the viewers mind. The Japanese are experts at this kind of movie making and have produced some great films like ‘Ringu’ or ‘Ju-on’ (The Grudge).
Since the ghost story horror genre is less popular in the US than the slasher genre, fans of the former have to take what they can get when they can get it. And so it was that I watched the trailers for '1408' with some hope that this might be one of the few good ones. My hope was somewhat tempered by the fact that the movie is based on a Steven King story. Not that I don’t like Steven King, it’s just that I’ve seen too many of his stories turned into theatrical garbage. Would this be the same? I was willing to take a chance.
The Plot (Note: Contains minor spoilers)
1408 is the story of Mike Enslin (John Cusack), an author who writes horror compilation books about supposedly haunted hotels and inns. He himself doesn’t believe in ghosts or the afterlife at all for that matter. He looks at his work as a way to make money off of the poor saps who do believe and at the same time debunk what he believes are the hotel owners attempts at attracting guests by fabricating hauntings. Enslin’s cynical outlook on life is fueled by his inability to deal with the death of his young daughter, Katie (Jasmine Jessica Anthony), and his separation from his wife, Lily (Mary McCormack).
As the movie starts we see Enslin going through the motions of his job with jaded apathy as he checks into yet another country inn to once again spend an uneventful night in an allegedly haunted room. Of course nothing happens as he expected and he now must turn an un-event into something spooky to sell another book. It is at this point that we start to get the feeling that he really would like to experience a true haunting if for no other reason than to have some small bit of proof that there is something more, something beyond this life.
Next he returns home and stops to pick up his mail at the post office and finds a mysterious post card from a hotel in New York telling him to stay away from room 1408. He chalks this up to some new tactic by the hotel management to entice him to visit the hotel but is surprised when he calls to reserve the room and is told the room is not available, ever. Not one to be denied he has his publishing company’s lawyer find a way to get the hotel to acquiesce. His editor, Sam Farrell (Tony Shalhoub), is more concerned for Enslin’s mental state as he returns to New York than he is about yet another haunted hotel. New York was Enslin’s home and the city where Katie died and Lily still lives.
When he arrives in New York he decides to do so without informing Lily that he is back and instead goes directly to the Dolphin Hotel. There his check-in is delayed when he is told the manager wants to speak with him first. The manager, Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson), escorts Enslin into his office and tries to dissuade him from following through with his planned stay. Olin is very emphatic that this is not some ploy to generate publicity. He doesn’t even care what happens to Enslin, but doesn’t want to have to clean up the aftermath of the carnage he foresees should Enslin stay.
So does Enslin stay or go? Is there something truly malevolent in room 1408, or is it just some game that Olin is playing? If he stays will Enslin make it through the night? For the answer to these questions you’ll need to buy a ticket and find out for yourself.
My Experience, part 1 (Note: Contains no additional spoilers)
'1408' wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be, and maybe that was the point. Although there were the standard elements of the horror flick genre, creepy build up, startling sounds, etc., they managed to amp up the intensity so that the movie became less about the haunting and more about Enslin’s struggle to maintain his sanity. I think they also did a good job of using the false ending effect to make it feel like the action might be over only to have it start up instantly yet again.
The acting was decent overall with Cusack coming off as believable in his role as the jaded horror book writer/haunting debunker. I always like Jackson even if he may play variations on the same character in many of his movies. I could almost picture him saying “say ‘I want to check in’ one more time, M***** F*****!” while staring down at Enslin seated in his office. McCormack and Anthony also gave good performances as did Shahloub, doing his character actor thing. Certainly none of the cast are going to wait for the letter from the Academy, but this was far better than B-movie acting.
The special effects were a little over the top, but good for what they were. I just think they might have toned it down and left more to the audience member’s imaginations. Some parts of the movie did get a little tedious as it almost seemed like they wanted to get their money’s worth from the same special effect more than once.
Overall I would say this is a movie that is definitely worth watching, especially if you are a fan of the genre. If you liked ‘Sixth Sense’ you will probably like this, although for different reasons.
My Experience, part 2 -Inside Room 1408 (Warning: Contains Major Spoilers)
'1408' is overtly a ghost story of sorts, but in reality it feels much more like a story of a character’s descent into insanity where the lines between reality and illusion become blurred. I think the director, Mikael Hafstrom, did an excellent job creating the uncertainty that what we are seeing on the screen is actually happening or happening only in Enslin’s mind. Certainly the intent is to have Enslin appear to be questioning his own sanity, and that is not a difficult task considering Cusack’s skilled portrayal. What is more difficult is creating doubt in the minds of the audience that just maybe it’s really not the room as much as it is him. The apparitions, to me, were far less scary than watching Enslin grope for some small safety line to maintain his sanity. At one point he recounts the events of the day prior to entering room 1408 to try and focus his mind on what he knows is real. You get the feeling that he is only a second away from losing touch at any moment and that if he does it is over and the room will have won.
One addition I thought they could have easily done without was the ‘Claw Hammer Maniac’, played by Benny Urquidez. This seems to be an ode to slasher flicks like ‘Holloween’, and maybe it was added to show slasher flick fans that a movie can be scary without an abundance of gore. To me it was just not needed and felt awkward. I can believe, in the context of a movie, the apparitions of the two jumpers, but I’m not buying a pseudo Jason Voorhees. It is also very sad to me that this is what has become of Benny “the jet” Urquidez. Urquidez was an incredible kickboxer who ended his career with a 58 – 0 record, although some dispute a few of the decisions. He acted in a few martial arts flicks in the 80’s including one with Jackie Chan in which he had an amazing fight scene. Unfortunately his martial arts talents greatly exceeded his acting talent and he only appeared in one movie in the 90’s. His appearance in this movie is said to be due to his having taught Cusack kickboxing.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic material including disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language.
Running Time: 94 minutes.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Scary Movie
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