1408 – Review

On a dark and stormy night, Mike Enslin (Cusack) notes a sign leaving Fairfield County. He turns his old early 80s Suburban around and finds a bed and breakfast inn. The owners try to tell him about their storied haunted past. Guests experience weird noises, and crazy happenings!!

Mike himself is a “ghost hunter” author, who travels nationwide to find haunted spots and turn his stays into articles and books. It may not be much, but it’s a living. Typically, he just has boring experiences which he must spruce up with exciting verbiage.

Despite Mike’s career, he typically finds nothing paranormal about his stays and has become dour and cynical. He has never seen any ghosts, but despite always coming up empty, he’d legitimately like to find some clues to what lies on the other side.

Hitting up his post office box in Hermosa Beach, CA, he finds a postcard about The Dolphin Hotel in New York. It simply says “Don’t enter 1408.” It is enough to spark his interest. He calls the hotel, but they say the room is unavailable, despite Mike not giving them a desired date. The staff is adamant it will not ever be available.

As he researches the hotel, he notes a string of deaths related to the room, and continues his push to stay. His publisher Sam Ferrell (Shalhoub) hires a lawyer and wants to force Mike’s way in via civil rights laws. If a room is not occupied, technically the hotel has to give it to a customer, otherwise it is discrimination. BINGO! Here comes a solid closing chapter to Mike’s latest book.

In and out, nobody gets hurt. Just a job, right? So, how will Mike’s stay go? Will he be able to handle yet another boring “haunted” room, or will this one actually prove to be more? As Mike struggles with his internal demons, he enters a world of psychological madness, all complimentary of the Dolphin Hotel, and room 1408…

1408 is an excellent movie which is based on a short story by Stephen King. It has numerous chills and psychologically harrowing moments, as well as some emotional resonance. It is very well acted and features well done special effects, which really brings out the creep factor. Cusack is able to hit all the right notes and give the film plenty of legitimacy.

The themes at play help elevate the ghost story to a personal level. The script is well written and paced, while the director brings all sorts of smooth shots to the scary story. This one genuinely has some uncomfortable ideas and truly spooky moments. If you can handle eerie happenings and thrilling scares, 1408 is quite effective, even without buckets of blood.

Stay scared!!

There is an extended Director’s Cut which adds about 12 minutes or so and changes the ending. Personally, despite the extra footage, I prefer the Theatrical Cut and its ending. This review is of the Theatrical Cut.