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The beginning leads you to believe this will be scary as hell but all that buildup is wasted as this movie is not in the least bit scary. Nor would I even call it horror.
I loved this movie more than most. Seeing it in the theater was a terrific experience. The best part was the dialog.
Posted By: caseynight88 at 6:13pm, September 21, 2009
I was impressed, that a film about a "haunted" hotel room could actually stray just far enough from the genre before it became just a plain thriller. If it wasn't for the supernatural aspects, it could have been disastrous. Needless to say, I walked away satisfied.
Posted By: ShadowHuntr at 12:44am, September 7, 2009
As far as a horror movie, I wasn't terribly impressed with this movie. However, the spooks and plot kept me decently interested. I wouldn't spend money on it, but if this was on tv I'd definitely give it another watch.
Posted By: Mrs_Vorhees at 12:38pm, September 4, 2009
Stephen King = God.
Enough said in my opinon.
As soon as I heard this was adapted from a Stephen King novel, I was good to go. I wasn't dissapointed, this movie was the perfect combinatoin of a great story line and Awesome effects. Not to mention Samuel L Jackson thrown in there as a bonus : ) . I strongly recommend this movie, even if you are not a fan of Stephen King. It isn't like all of the previous novel adaptations. I rate this 10/10 : )
1408 is a movie based on Stephen King's shor novella of the same name. 1408 is a great mix of fast paced horror, and slow terror and thrill. It doesn't fall short of great action, and will keep you puzzled until the very end. 1408 is based on a horror writer, that stays in various haunted houses and placed. This time though, the room 1408 is his toughest challenge yet. Thing get moving very quickly, and for a Stephing King movie, it is vert fast paced. I enjoyed the puzzle of the movie, and constant suspense it offers is special. The movie is all about the thriller aspect, ghostly goings on and very suspicious happenings. It doesn't fall short of great horror, and keeps you gripped until the very end. The great acting, the superb special effects and mindblowing climax makes 1408 a enjoyable watch.
1408 is one of the best horror films I've seen since The Sixth Sense. That says an awful lot. This film will not disappoint. But it will keep you from sleeping in hotels without a flashlight. Mark my words, people.
This is a complex film, combining mystery with horror and drama with tragedy. I'll tell you why:
1408 stars John Cusack as Mike Enslin and Samuel Jackson as Gerald Olin. Enslin is a ghost hunter and writer of his travelings. OLin is the manager of the Dolphin Hotel warning Enslin not to stay in room 1408. But he doesn't listen.
Mike's daughter just died. As he endures the terrors of the ghost infested hotel room, he gets visions of his dead daughter, his dead father, and other dead (and deadly) people.
This film is lot's of fun, but not overly gory. In this case it is a good thing. I, personally love ghastly suspense films and 1408 is a benchmark in the horror sub genre.
I don't care what people think about Stephen King adaptations. I would buy any SK adaptation know matter what, even if it was a flop (Maximum Overdrive). Looking back on myself, I did not want to see this movie because it John Cusack in it. He is a good actor, better than his sister Joan. I was really wrong about him this time. The movie is based off of a short story in the book Nightmares and Dreamscapes, which tells the story of a paranormal investigator/author, who is recently divorced and lost his daughter, checking into a room with a very grisly past. A skeptic at first, he quickly learns the horrible haunts and pains that this room holds. I will say this, it is genius how Mikael Håfström approached this and created a whole movie inside a hotel room. The set, with looks like it came from a Broadway play, was masterfully done and really stayed true to the book's description.
John Cusack really established himself as a great actor. His performance in this movie was nothing short of brilliant and perfect. Though in the beginning of the movie he is sort of stale and kind of tired, he quickly takes a swan dive into madness once the room starts mindscrew him. His performance is believable even when he becomes emotionally damaged when he sees his dead daughter. Samuel L. Jackson who we all know from Snakes does not overdue his character to point of ridiculousness. He does not have that big of a role but more of a supporting character, and for his magnitude is just right. He is in plenty other movies where he is perfect for a main character, this one he is just fine as a supporting character. He adds a sort of charisma to the hotel manager, who is seldom, calm, very proper and persistent. If it weren't for the emotions, the movie probably would be just another haunted house story.
For a PG-13, this movie had some pretty good scares, but the main "scare tactic" was not jump out scare, which it had, but more psychological scares. Granted, the jump-out scare worked effectively, especially in enclosed areas and dark open areas but psychologically you never know what is real and what is not and that is the biggest scare out of the whole movie. Only SK and Håfström could make a radio seem so creepy, which they did perfectly. The room also plays horrible emotional tricks on our protagonist and at one point you feel for him, especially since the room is just playing games on him. I think that his movie is very different from some of the SK adaptations for these exact reasons, and this movie is definitely a must-see for any SK fan or horror fan.
I adore this movie... Everything about it. It takes those haunted tv shows and puts a boot up there ass!!! I hate those shows but I love thinking theres supernatural shit out there...
So 1408 is one of my favourite short stories from Stephen King. I loved the atmosphere, and was very excited when I heard this film was in development.
When I saw it, I was entertained, and there were a few genuinely cary moments - (the song from the radio caused endless nights of unease when me and my housemate decided to play it randomly outside each other's doors), and I liked both performances from the two leads.
The one problem I had with it was something that I find occurs all too often with adaptations of King's shorter stories - There just isn't enough to fill the runtime. I found the film dragged a bit, and for me that kind of scuppered the experience.
Overall a nicely made film, good acting, decent scares - but just a bit too long.
A fun first viewing, jump scares, some pretty insane stuff, goosebump ending, the end.
Not bad but if you want freak hotel by King stick to The Shining.
loved it! john cusack was amazing, jackson was amazing, and of course Stephen King is out of his fucking mind... i just cant imagine what bedtime stories he told his kids...
This bland interpretation of King's over rated short story made a decent amount at the box office. But generated little suspense or originality at all. John Cusack's performance feels forced and Samuel L. Jackson's is just laughable. The spfx and concept are a bit ridiculous and over all the film feels like an overlong Tales from the Crypt episode and not a very good one at that.
By the fact I went to see this in the cinema, and then bought the DVD a few months after it came out, I was shocked that the ending were the complete opposite of eachother. And the DVD doesn't even offer the other ending for you to see.
I'm not sure which ending I prefer, as they both have a good spooky chill to them.
The movie overall had a lot of good jumps and scares, and a horrible feeling of being trapped the whole way though. Loved it.
In a time when Horror movies relay on how much gore there will be and how many buckets of blood are spilled over some filthy basement floor, 1408 comes like a breeze of fresh air to those who have found the genre is sinking into boredom. Mikael Håfström takes on the tough task of bringing Stephen King’s novel to life, and achieve on of the best results ever brought to a theatre since The Green Mile. Signing John Cusack to portray Mike Enslin , a man who specializes in debunking paranormal occurrences and whose writing career is as low as his own faith on what he seeks, was a brilliant choice from the director. I mean, who’s more likeable than John Cusack? The story takes our nihilist writer to the Dolphin Hotel in New York City to investigate its room 1408, which is meant to be haunted. The director of the hotel, played by Samuel L. Jackson, warns Mike about the mysterious room and its casualties, but for our disturbed pleasure, Mike decides to ignore the warnings and spend a night in the room in order to write about it on its next book.
The narrative style of the movie is quiet faithful to the one of the book. It’s hard to understand how a movie could capture the feeling of a Stephen King’s novel, but if one has actually achieve it, it is 1408. it’s been a while since a movie actually built some tension to its storytelling, rather than play the 80’s gore card. Don’t get me wrong, I love those flicks too, but let’s just remember how many terribly bad films were made in the 80 following the commercial success of a few good ones…
1408 is going to thrill those who haven’t read the book, and delight those who have.
I would recommend this film to anyone liking a good scare.
Saw this movie for the 3rd or 4th time over the weekend and thought about how well this film was done. While the imagery was intense at times it was more about the mindf#@k going on throughout the course of the film. The fact that the room uses his daughter is just plain cruel. It isn't an overtly scary film, there aren't really any scenes that make you jump out of your seat but the idea that a room can get that deep into your head and use the things that are most dear to you against you is awesome and then the scene when the phone tells him, he can relive the hour over again and again or just go to the express check out was great. Anyone with children, young neices and nephews or younger siblings should get chills at the end when the tape recorder has the daughter's vioce on it confirming everything that he just went through was real and in some ways almost has a reward now for surviving the whole thing and that is the recorded voice of his dead daughter forever on tape now saying that she loves him. Great film.
Ok this movie was awful.....I didn;t find it all scary as it should of been it was alot of hype of course its Stephen King......but I feel his older movies are much better maybe he wasn't as famous as he is now.......I really enjoyed the shinning and Christine they way the plot was the feel of those type of movies...heck even cujo or Pet semtary....but lately I don;t feel his movies are the same.
i liked the concept and some of the imagery; but it just got too hollywood for me with the cgi crap. i enjoyed the beginning thruroughly; it just became too over the top for me after awhile i guess. still, it is a worthwhile rental.
Not really a horror, but a thriller. I was really impressed, excellent work, and I love the actors. In all this movie was really terrific (but yet was not a horror, so I cannot give it a high rate)
Posted By: BK's Finest at 4:44pm, February 10, 2009
It was just ok...
Posted By: Fred Krueger at 1:24pm, February 10, 2009
This is one of the best Horror movies to come out this millennium. I think what makes this movie work so well is the feeling of claustaphobia which the Descent did also. The radio going on playing that same damn song makes me feel crazy too. Nice Unexpected Surprise after all the junk that has come out the last 10 years.
Posted By: fantasmagora6 at 9:42am, February 10, 2009
this movie was incredible...not only was the acting good but the entire concept of this movie was beyond anything I've ever seen in a thriller/horror film...it shows you the ultimate torture... reaches into your heart and mind and completely destroys you...mentaly of course...and when its all over and your run dry of tears and self hate...it starts all over again...definately a must see...
Posted By: horrorfan25 at 6:00pm, January 23, 2009
1408 is a well made horror flick that is actually pretty scary. For a PG-13 horror flick this was really well done. The scares were pretty effective. The pace was just perfect. The acting was alright, but wasn't horrible. Of course it's not as good as The shining. What do expect? 1408 might not become a classic in ten years but it will be remembered as a clever, scary movie that was done effectively.
brilliant ghost film. it was nice to have a horror movie where it was a room killing people and not humans
Posted By: AshWilliams95 at 7:50am, December 28, 2008
1408 is one of the most original, suspensful ghost films that I have seen in ages. The acting is good I am a bit of a fan when it comes to john cusack. The ideas and stuff that goes on in the hotel room is creative and original. The special effects were awesome, and I quite enjoyed the little twist where he thinks his out of the hotel but really he's just hallucinating. Sought of like in the descent which was another mad horror movie. Overall this movie was damn fine and I was entertained from start to finish. I give 1408 a 9/10.
Posted By: labyrinthworm at 5:47am, December 28, 2008
I can't really think of any redeeming qualities of this film...Bad acting, predictable, overall just did not work for me. Although I didn't fall asleep, I wish I would have.
Posted By: cjhorrorfan13 at 2:55am, December 28, 2008
this movie was definitely good. but not all that great. but it still scared me! i give it a 9!
Posted By: DeathRay87 at 2:16am, December 28, 2008
I thought this was an awesome movie. Some might say its more of a thriller but i disagree. I especially liked how his daughter came back to life only to die once more in his arms it was quite touching.
I went into this movie thinking that if it was based on a Stephan King book that usually it has a decent chance at being an entertaining but not always great movie. I had read the book and i thought that the movie was an amazing adaptation of the book. I actually liked the movie better thatn the book. Samual L. Jackson was great, even though he is not the thicker man described in the book. He is quite the opposite of that character. John Cusack was born for this role. He was quirky just like the character. The ending is chilling and makes you think about what the hell really happend. Did it really happen? The cgi was not to the point of overkill in my opinion. A lot of people would like to put this is category of another supernatural thiller, but i think that this movie transcends that. I think that this movie really digs in and makes you think about what the fuck would you do if you lose a child. Would it fuck your life up and you continue to peddle shitty books about nothing you believe in becuase you don't even believe in yourself anymore. I don't know what i would do. But i do know one thing.That this movie fucking rocked and touched me at the same time. I mean good touch not bad touch by the way.
It's an emotional, and relatable ghost story about a father and husband turned cynic whose beliefs are broken and torn. Samuel L. Jackson is a classic scene stealer and I wish John Cusack would do more thrillers. I enjoyed the ending, and the themes of powerlessness and family connection.
Posted By: Bloodymuffins at 8:46pm, October 20, 2008
This was a rather entertaining movie. Granted it wasn't the scariest thing I have ever seen, it still had enough jumps, an interesting enough plot, and good characters so that I was captivated throughout.
Posted By: Protecious at 1:31pm, September 30, 2008
why is samuel l jackson on the cover? his role is very minimal, he's in about ten, fifteen minutes in the entire thing, this shoudl have only had john cusack on the cover, because it is his performance that carries the weight of the movie, and his mostly alone, other than warning cusack to not stay in the room, there's no substance of material for jackson to work with and his character could have been played by anybody and not been listed and posted on the cover, but because it's samuel l. jackson, he gets co top billing? kinda lame, jackson hasnt been in alot of good movies like "snakes on a plane", "the man", and so on, but this was a good film he was in, coincidently he's barely in it.
John Cusack is one of the all time great actors this guy could play anything in any movie and make it work, im glad he chose to do this film because without his believable great single performance in the film it makes the movie's material seem more better than it actually is, put an b list cast in this film with a lower budget this would be right along the lines of king's other adapted films that arent good, but the movie works, has suspense, mystery and for being mostly shut in one hotel room the entire movie they pull it off and do it well with style, a little humor and scary moments.
Posted By: Stupid-Eyed at 8:50pm, September 28, 2008
I wasn't much of a John Cusack fan before this film. This was a great film.
Posted By: jhendo255 at 12:10am, September 28, 2008
This movie was slow and boring. The plot was interesting, and the movie had potential, but it just lacked horror. The ending did leave you thinking, but I got the feeling of a cheap attempt at a thrill. The Hollywood knowns did make the movie better, but couldn't save this one from a 90 min drag. Would have been a good 30 min episode not a 90 min flick. The movie wasn't all bad and would be better if you weren't looking to enjoy a horror movie, but maybe a decent thriller with of a haunted room.
Really not that Scary, but if your looking for an entertaining movie to watch, that it is. Over all I really enjoyed this movie and enjoyed the way it looked over all.
I love how it tapped back in to a classic horror element. It was a fun watch, and an excellent story. The fact that it wasn't a ghost makes it all the more exciting, just an evil room.
I also thought this movie left me thinking "wow, what aweird movie?" It was definately a mind fuck. I was confused all through it. Pretty good. No interest to see it again.
I loved the story of this movie a lonely writer who goes to check out haunted things to disprove them. Man if only he knew. This movie has a strong feeling of what I would like to call a "Mind Fuck", movie where it leaves you with a weird feeling like wow that movie was crazy. I loved this movie. I definantly recommend it.
This movie had its ups and downs for me. I really liked the concept of the movie and the room 1408 really seemed like a character to me and loved the inter play with Cusack's character. Parts of this film however had me thinking 'what the f**k?' Worth a look, I think. I am sorry to say I have not read King's short story yet but I have it and will be very interested in reading it soon.
I can't hate this movie enough. What makes this a harsher moviegoing experience than most is because I genuinely thought I was going to like '1408'. Loved the short story, afraid of ghosts, dig the Cusack, laugh at the Samuel L. Jackson. But alas, this movie chokes hard and swallows deeply. It's incredible that filmmakers these days can't seem to make 'ghosts' scary. How do you fuck up a haunted hotel room movie? Oh wait, tap a director with a weird name and cast John Cusack. Done. I thought 'American Haunting' was a shit-fest, but '1408' takes the cake when it comes to "lack of being frightening". You will find scarier imagery in a math book.
