A great modern horror thriller!

Rating: 8/10 (31 August 2007)

I think even the most ardent fan would have to admit that a lot of films based on the work of Stephen King are somewhat less than brilliant, but with 1408, he's certainly scored a hit this time! The film will obviously always be compared to what is probably the most successful film based on one of his novels - The Shining - due to the hotel setting and supernatural theme of the film, but the two stories really aren't much alike and 1408 can be enjoyed without having to draw comparisons between the two. The film stars John Cusack in his first good role in ages, and he plays Mike Enslin - a writer who makes a living by writing about haunted places, and also a man broken by the loss of his daughter. One day, while looking for places to visit, he receives a mysterious postcard from the Dolphin Hotel with a note telling him to stay out of room 1408. Naturally, he decides that he wants to stay in that room, but the hotel manager is not at all keen on the idea and does his best to change Mike's mind. But he's having none of it, and after an argument, he gets the keys to 1408...
The build up to the inevitable stay in the room is fantastic, and the film features an absolutely great scene between the stars John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. The room itself is a masterpiece of supernatural horror and director Mikael Håfström piles on the scares once the action reaches the title location. It has to be said that the film does have a few problems - the plot doesn't always flow well and certain parts of it feel unneeded (probably as a result of the fact that this is a feature length film based on a short story), but most viewers are unlikely to care about this once the film gets to room 1408, as from there on out 1408 is a thrill ride from start to finish. The atmosphere is superb and the way that the horror builds up slowly is extremely unsettling and expertly puts the viewer in Mike Enslin's precarious situation. Cusack is just great in the central role and delivers an excellent varied performance. The film also features a great twist on the classic clichéd ending that really does the story justice. Overall, this is certainly one of the best horror films in years and one of the best based on King's work - highly recommended!