A Diamond in the Rough

Rating: 10/10 (22 June 2007)

This is perhaps one of the best horror films of our generation. I don't normally write reviews nor do I often give movies good ratings, but I felt this one deserved the praise.
1408 is a riveting mind bending psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. A brilliant visionary work of art. An inescapable terrifying nightmarish scenario. It will have you gasping for breath, and yet the brilliance of the story and plot will grace you with a fond feeling of pure satisfaction upon completion of your movie going experience.
John Cusack put on what some might say was an Oscar worthy performance. Samuel L. Jackson also played a convincing albeit small role as well. For the most part, however, 1408 was a one man show and in that usually drab aspect it somehow thrived.
The good majority of the film (nearly 90% I'd say) is shot in the room despite what the trailers would have you think. This may be a turn off to some, but in the eyes of a veteran movie goer it was pure brilliance. A difficult to utilize cinematic idea that was somehow perfected.
It tests the limits of a PG-13 rating as far as the level and quality of horror goes. 1408 is perhaps the scariest PG-13 horror film since The Ring, or possibly, dare I say, of All-Time. And I've seen just about every horror flick you can name...
The ending is where most seem to have their gripes. However, in my opinion it couldn't have ended any better. It was a bone chilling eye opening ending that shifted the supernatural-psychosis theme in a sudden confirmed finality testing the legitimacy of a perceived reality. Terrific!!
It wasn't the booze after all...
On a scale of 1-10, I'd have to give it a perfect 10. Perhaps the ONLY movie I've given a 10 to in the last decade, with the exception of V for Vendetta and the original Matrix.
The direction is a bit wary but close to perfection. The best you can get from an adaptation of a SHORT story, that is. Of course it may seem a bit prolonged and meandering to those that read and exalted the original story expecting an exact adaptation. My suggestion is to view it independently, not interchangeably and you'll find yourself enjoying this terrific Oscar worthy film.
In a sea of unworthy next gen horror films, 1408 stands alone as the candle in the dark.
1408 -- DEFINITELY WORTH CHECKING IN TO!!