Mike Enslin (John Cusack) writes books about haunted places: mansions, hotels, graveyards, you name it. One day in the mail he receives a postcard advertising for the Dolphin Hotel in New York City, which contains a note: DO NOT ENTER 1408. So he starts investigating the hotel room, and eventually ends up wanting to stay in the room. At the hotel, he meets manager Gerald Olin (Samuel Jackson), who tries to persuade Mike not to go in the room because strange things have happened and no one ever lasted more than one hour in room 1408.
WARNING: VERY PREDICTABLE.
Yes, there were thrills and scares, yes the buildup to the room was well done, but after that point, it just goes downhill because it is so predictable - despite the few scares. A lot of it has to do with logic, and more to the point, things that the manager tells Mike: electronic devices don't work in 1408, yet when Mike turns his computer on, it works??? The tv remote works? The radio? Is it just me, or don't these things work on electricity? So in that sense, the script was bad.
Also bad, because of its predictability. Without spoiling anything, it would be hard to talk about the event that makes the movie predictable, so I won't go any further.
Reasons for giving 2 full stars (4/10 note) for this movie, include Jackson's and Cusack's performances, as well as the ending. Let's put it this way: as a ghost story, the ending makes sense. But as horror or thriller, it doesn't.
Rent it if you like ghost stories. If you like thrillers, nothing should surprise you.
1408 Reviews
way overrated
Posted : 16 years, 7 months ago on 14 October 2007 02:050 comments, Reply to this entry
1408 review
Posted : 16 years, 9 months ago on 22 July 2007 10:24I thought it was a good movie. Parts were creepy but most of all it was one of those movies that made you think.
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1408 review
Posted : 16 years, 10 months ago on 15 July 2007 08:04This was a good movie strange in some parts kind of reminded me of identity.there's a few scares in movie i thought Samuel L Jackson would have had a bigger part.
I disagree with the review below mine its worth watching some great stuff in it.
I disagree with the review below mine its worth watching some great stuff in it.
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Wasted opportunity
Posted : 16 years, 10 months ago on 23 June 2007 01:27I was so excited for this movie. It could have been a new classic but it fell soooo short. Not sure whether it was comedy or horror drove me up the wall and a nonsensical ending that will join the ranks of The Village and Spielberg's War of the Worlds.
There were a few decent scares and the buildup leading to the room was pretty well done, but it was just one big disappointment after another towards the end. Avoid.
There were a few decent scares and the buildup leading to the room was pretty well done, but it was just one big disappointment after another towards the end. Avoid.
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