Good, but could be better

Rating: Null/10 (7 February 2010)

1408 is the story about a writer, Mike Enslin, who travels around the country and stays at every haunted hotel and inn he can find, just to prove they're all hoaxes. His books aren't that popular, but his publisher has faith in him and urges him to go on.
For his last visit in the book, Mike goes to the Dolphin Hotel in New York upon receiving a post card about room 1408 which doesn't sound like any other. When he arrives in New York, he's urged by the hotel's manager, Gerald Olin, not to stay in room 1408. Mike ignores the advice and stays.
What follows next is a psychological thriller where Mike's past is revealed, piece by piece. It begins quietly, but quickly spirals out of Mike's control and he finds himself trapped in his own subconsciousness. No matter what he does, things only get worse, and as the audience learn the real truth behind Mike Enslin, Mike himself completely loses his mind to a point where he's no longer able to distinguish reality from imagination.
I liked the idea of the room being a journey through Mike's personality. The way the story is revealed lets the audience learn piece by piece how he came to travel around the country looking for ghosts. The paranoia in the film is very credible, and the horror only adds to it. It's definitely one of the horror films which has a deeper story under it.
Even though the story is solid, I believe it progressed too fast, especially after Mike came into room 1408. The fact that it took a man who's visited nearly every haunted hotel room in the country a mere ten minutes or so to get that affected by room 1408 only proves that he himself is a hoax.
All in all, this is a true horror film with a story and character development. I'd recommend it to anyone who's not afraid of spooky hotel rooms.