Before I begin my review, let me state that there has only been one horror movie ever to have scared me. The Blair Witch Project. I had really begun to give up on the horror genre, simply because we seem to be given thrice as many blood and guts nowadays, rather than actual frights and scares. With that being said, I might just give this genre another chance due to the chilling effect 1408 had on me, and more specifically, how it's possibly one of the most terrifying films ever made.

The story of 1408 revolves around the unsuccessful author Mike Enslin (John Cusack) as he travels to all of the so-called "haunted" houses and hotels and writes about his experiences. Mike Enslin personally thinks ghosts are all a myth, and frankly, that the theories behind them are all a load of crap. After receiving an anonymous letter from the "Dolphin Hotel" in New York City with a warning message written on it stating "Don't stay in Room 1408", Mike decides he will do just the opposite. After repeatedly being denied the opportunity to stay in the room due to it being "permanently booked", he decides to get his lawyer involved, and eventually, he is given the opportunity.

Mike arrives at the hotel and is once again told he cannot stay in the room...This time by the hotel manager Gerald Olin. (Samuel L. Jackson) Gerald shows Mike a scrapbook of everyone who has died in the room and the death count adds up to a rather large fifty six. However, Mike, being the "macho man" that he is, doesn't let the "facts" prevent him from accomplishing his goal and finishing his final chapter in his latest book. Finally, Gerald "gives up", and gives Mike the one key to room 1408...

At first everything seems fine, in fact, Mike laughs about it. He pours himself a drink of wine, gets comfortable, and begins browsing through the selection of adult movies on TV. However, minutes after making fun of the myth surrounding 1408, strange sequences of events begin occurring which slowly begin getting more intense and terrifying. Mike himself begins to panic, and eventually, wants out! But he can't!

1408 is definitely a more psychological horror film, rather than your typical slasher/guts fest. Now, this flick isn't on the same level as The Sixth Sense or as scary as The Blair Witch Project, but that doesn't mean that it isn't worth a view...Or two...There are plenty of "pop-out" scenes, which may feel like cheap scares to some, but in my opinion, they worked in this film, due to the numerous other frights that do not indeed rely on scenes that simply make you jump out of your chair and nothing more. 1408 skips around a lot and it may seem confusing to some people and this is where my complaint comes into play. The end. Seriously, I felt somewhat cheated after departing from the theater, even though the flick was very entertaining and scary as a whole. I don't like a conclusion that can be interpreted in fifty thousand different ways. Maybe some critics will disagree with me and I'm not here to curse you out and and say that you're wrong. This is just my opinion. Look online in different forums, specifically for this film, and you will quickly notice multiple explanations for the climax. I myself have my own theory behind the last seconds of 1408, but I will never guarantee my theory correct. I like a movie that has one explanation for the ending. Not only this, but there are quite a few events that occur throughout the film that are never really explained, which I generally dislike.

Anyways, enough with the negative...The acting was superb! And I really mean this. Mike Enslin is totally believable and what I really adored and respected about 1408, is how the first twenty or so minutes of the film are about developing John Cusack's character...And best of all, those twenty or so minutes are not boring...At all! Samuel L. Jackson was fine as the manager of the hotel, however, he's only on the screen in two scenes, each of which are rather short. That's not a bad thing, however, as 1408 is primarily supposed to be about Mike Enslin's experience in the haunted room.

1408 was given a PG-13 rating by the MPAA. I know that this will mislead a lot of horror buffs into thinking that the flick will turn into another cliche fest with no redeeming factor at all. However, I am here to tell you that you are WRONG! 1408 really is one of those rare non-R rated horror movies that actually not only ends up working...But is extremely effective in its obvious intent.

I have been a horror fan for years now, and 1408 is without a doubt, one of the scariest films in the genre. Teenagers, forget about the rating and just see it! I can guarantee that anyone who enjoys these types of movies will not be disappointed!

GRADE: B+





Recommended: Yes

Movie Mood: Scary Movie
Viewing Method: Sneak Preview at My Local Theater
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Ending