No one should stay in Room 1408!

Rating: 5/10 (17 November 2007)

I like John Cusack. Once upon a time, I liked Stephen King. I really like Samuel Jackson and Tony Shalub who are very competent character actors. So despite, the fact that there were stacks of copies piled up at the local video store, I decided to give this a try even though the reviews were less than stellar.
I am a human being, and therefore fallible and therefore capable of mistakes and I accept that and I accept that I made one when I paid five bucks to watch this thing. Then I made another when I actually watched it. So, to make amends for my error, and like Samuel Jackson, I am here to warn you to stay in another hotel room, do not go into 1408.
I haven't read the original story, but the thing bears enough resemblance to the Shining (which in turn was a clone of Richard Matheson's Hell House) that one can now conclude that Mr. King is now "recycling" himself instead of previous horror writers.
John Cusack is perversely fascinating to watch. He looks pudgy and burned out and apathetic throughout and that in turn is truly a horrifying thing to see for a guy who had such early promise. He is truly the haunted man searching for his lost career. I kept calling out to the screen, John, John, run.... run... get out of the movie now....
As for the visuals, no horror movie standby goes unused. Its all there, spooky noises, ghosts, the protagonist who does not believe in this stuff, blood and other gruesome stuff flowing inexplicably from nowhere, collapsing walls, weird hotel personnel, the long history of terrible events in the room and on and on and on until you completely lose track and ultimately, interest. If there was a point to it all, it got lost in the special effects.
I agree with the film's promotional material, you don't want to visit room 1408.