Perhaps this sounds like a familiar Stephen King premise; a writer stays at an old hotel for work-related purposes. The hotel is old and is said to house various angry spirits. Of course these ghosts exist because they died or were brutally murdered in this exact hotel. Anyone who stays in the hotel for too long begins to see evil things and loses their mind, which is exactly what happens to the previously-said writer. Sound familiar? Stephen King's The Shining is a novel that mirrors this exact premise, and it is quick to assume that the familiar story, which later became a classic film, is the storyline in question. However, it is not. In 2002, Stephen King revisited his "tormented writer in the haunted hotel" roots with the short story "1408", and the story recently received the film adaptation treatment. In a sea of thousands of Stephen King adaptations, there is a question as to how much this stacks up against the others. The answer is quite frighteningly.
Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is a self-absorbed writer who specializes in ghostly phenomena. His obsession in life is to track down supposed haunted locations, and overthow the existence of paranormal activity. These accounts on haunted graveyards, hotels, etc., are compiled into cheap thrill books that end up on the bargain shelves at Barnes and Noble. A rural couple firmly believes their bed and breakfast is haunted by the spirits of angry spirits? Mike uses his state-of-the-art gadgets to shatter the belief that these ghosts do exist.
A challenge suddenly appears before Mike in the form of a postcard. The anonymous message states that room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel in New York City is a room housing unbelievable terrors. Mike sees this as an exciting opportunity, and packs his bags for the city.
Upon arrival at the hotel, Mike is greeted by the stern manager played with brief brilliance by Samuel L. Jackson. Despite offers for expensive cognac and a free penthouse upgrade, Mike ignores all warning and insists on staying in the dreaded 1408. With self-assurance and arrogance, he checks into the room expecting the usual creaks, shadows, and lightning flashes that are read into by the usual local folk. But Mike is in for one wild ride. Small incidents evolve into catastrophic, traumatizing hauntings, and the superstitious writer discovers more than he bargained for.
The state of horror cinema is a bit on the weak side these days. It seems it is either in the form of watered-down PG-13 ghost stories, or hard-R torture porn. In the middle of these releases, I continue to wonder if anything actually scary will hit screens. To my surprise, 1408 manages to succeed with chills and thrills. Yes, the film is rated PG-13, but it delves into a realm of psychological horror and creepy imagery so much, that the thought of blood and guts is left in the gutter. At times, it feels as if a certain edginess is absent as scenes of horrific insanity are dragged out. If anything, this occasional feeling of emptiness is one of the film's weaker points. But every time 1408 is hit with a lull moment, it brushes itself off and does not hold back on mystery.
What really keeps this film standing is the direction and the performance from John Cusack. Director Mikael Hafstrom has supposedly tripped up on his previous outing Derailed (I would not know as I avoided it like the plague). However, the director proves his eye for detail in creating this King adaptation. Stephen King is a very descriptive writer who will devote two full pages in tiny font just to describe the interior of a hotel room. While I haven't read this particular short story, it seems that Hafstrom has stayed true to King's writing style. When Mike Enslin enters the hotel lobby and room 1408, we observe every little detail through his eyes. This is everything from an antique stroller sitting in the lobby, to the tacky wall paintings that grace the walls of the room. While a keen eye for such detail may bore some, I found this to be particularly effective. Before the scares begin, we become completely situated and familiar with the surroundings right alongside our protagonist. Because of this, we become susceptible to experiencing the terrors firsthand through the eyes of Mike Enslin.
Another praiseworthy note is the performance by John Cusack. While other talented performers, such as Jackson, Mary McCormack, and Tony Shaloub, come and go, this is truly Cusack's show. As a man who spends the majority of the film battling insanity/ghosts in a hotel room, he really exhibits his acting range. While Cusack simply does his usual schtick at the beginning of the film with his smug grin and smart ass retorts, he completely subverts his usual persona to get scared. Cusack does indeed wipe the grin off his face and resorts to utter sadness and maniacal fear.
My final thought on 1408 is that it is a psychological thinking person's film. It is questionable as to whether viewers prefer their suspense to be this ambiguous, or more straightforward. I, myself, giddily kept my mind busy one scene after another. However, good story or bad, the performance by Cusack is worth the admission alone. Cusack really makes the insanity and claustrophobia come alive. 1408 is the hotel horror film that Vacancy should have been. In a summer full of lackluster sequels, I can happily say that 1408 is one of the more original and satisfying movies I have seen this season.
Questions? Comments? Just want to talk movies? Drop me a line at dodd@movieweb.com
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