(2007)
directed by Mikael Håfström
written by Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander, & Larry Karaszewski
reviewed by Adam Armstrong
1.8.09
Is the movie better
than the book?
Mike Enslin (John Cusack) is the pessimistic
author who debunks haunted houses and hotels. After receiving an anonymous
postcard telling him to stay away from the Dolphin Hotel and it’s haunted room
1408, he just has to go check it out. After a brief argument with the hotel
manager, Mr. Olin (Samuel L. Jackson), Enslin
gets the key and goes up. Within minutes Enslin is
assaulted with the bizarre. At first he believes Olin is playing tricks on him
to help keep the rumor of 1408 strong and alive. But after several attempts to
leave the room, Enslin realizes just how real the
stories are. And there is only one way to checkout.
Yes, in this case, the
movie is better than the book (short story actually collected in Everything’s Eventual). Cusack is wonderful for the role of Enslin.
He brings about a perfect combination of humor and drama. The movie adds a
layer of depth that the short story doesn’t go into. Håfström
does a great job of scaring the audience with a few truly creepy things, such
as the folded toilet paper, without dumping thousands of gallons of fake blood
on us.
Greatly entertaining it
contains a level of spookiness that is strangely absent from most modern day
horror films.
Watch it!
5 out of 5