It had potential....but didn't deliver

Rating: 4/10 (24 June 2007)

First: I'm a Cusack fan Second: I'm a Samuel Jackson fan Third: I'm a Stephen King fan Forth: I'm a "ghost hunting" fan
I was eager and excited when this film was announced!
What could be better than to be a fan of all four together for a movie!! WHOOO HOOOO
It started great - Had me hook on the first scene. Great acting, great story, great potential.
The lead into the story of room 1408 grabs you. Your heart and mind start to race. The dialog's between Cusack and Jackson is great, when Jackson is explaining the room to Cusack. Cusack, ever famous for his smart-mouth sarcastic comments delivers every time - and had the entire theater laughing.
When he enters the room, you know your in for a great ride. Then comes the first few ghosts. GREAT! AWESOME! Had me jumping a few times even.
Then out of now where to story turns from a ghost story, into one of a man in pain over the lose of his young daughter, a year before. WHAT!?! That's when the movie took a nose-dive for me.
This was supposed to be a GHOST movie!! It turned into a depression story about a dad loosing his daughter to cancer and not being able to handle the sorrow, getting mad at God for taking his daughter, then leaves his wife only to confront the pain and agony in this room - and see the ghost of his daughter..again.. WHAT?! What happened to the Ghost Movie?!?! What happened to the great potential they had here?!?!?
This was an opportunity to really have a great ghost story - poltergeist type ghost story - and they didn't pull it off. Sadly.
Acting is great - movie is disappointing. If your going to see a ghost story - be ready for disappointment. IF Your going to see a daddy lost daughter to cancer and can't deal with it so he goes crazy type movie - enjoy...
So much potential.. so much disappointment.