psychological horror

Rating: 5/10 (4 January 2009)

This movie is not scary, I call it more of a psychological thriller movie. Mike Enslin writes books about top 10 haunted places to visit. He gets a postcard stating do not stay in room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel. He decides the hotel would make a good chapter in his book, so elects to stay there. He has to get his publisher to threaten to sue the hotel in order to stay in the room. After arriving, he gets an earful from the hotel manager, Mr. Olin, as to why he should not stay in room 1408. There have been over 50 deaths, from suicides to natural causes, even a drowning.
Enslin can't be persuaded otherwise, and goes into the room. At first, there is nothing unusual about the room. He gets a maintenance worker to come up to fix the thermostat. The guy won't come in the room but talks him though it. So, the room cools down, and that is when strange occurrences occur. The radio comes on, chocolates appear on the bed, the window crashes down on his hand. He gets spooked and wants to leave, but the door handle falls off and it won't open.
He starts seeing things, previous inhabitants of the room, but mostly other people from his life, such as his dad and later his daughter. It's like the room shows you all the bad things in your life and you can't escape. Soon, there is even a wall where the window is.
Does Enslin come up with a plan to escape the room? Watch to find out.
FINAL VERDICT: It's OK, but doesn't have that one scene that really makes you say wow. It's not one I would pay to watch.