The usual Stphen King format - Good but predictable

Rating: 8/10 (3 October 2007)

1408 follows a very similar format to many of King's previous work most notably Pet Semitary. Its OK, don't get me wrong - but there its the same set pieces he's used before: old infirmed relative, dead sibling, haunted car/room/book etc etc...
There are scenes that are interesting and Cusack is his usual typecast self as a miserable, self-obsessed, voice over man. It works but only because its a tried and tested formula.
There are the almost cringe worthy "horror" moments, you know the ones: mirrors with dodgy reflections, phones calls that speak directly to the situation, lots of reaching on tiptoes only to loose balance and keep you on the "edge of your seat" etc etc.
This is a fairly enjoyable movie that falls into the "worth watching once" category. But nothing to separate it from any of a dozen other movies. There are some decent effects but nothing that adds to the plot - specifically an overly indulgent flooded set..then an overly indulgent frozen set..then an overly indulgent burnt set.
I was actually OFFENDED by the use of the child dying of an incurable disease element which isn't to say its an offencive subject just that the director shot it so emotively that I lost the "horror" of the movie and started to think about the number of people who might watch this who had actually lost a loved one in such a way. The use of such a plot line requires far greater subtlety.
In conclusion, worth watching but far from being a classic.