1408 (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
|
| ||||||||||||
 As good as S.K. gets on screen Like all.. well most Stephen King stories, 1408 was a real chiller of a short story. Let's face it. S.K.'s melieu is print. The story did not have the same intensity when made into a film, at least for me. With that said, it's a great film on its own. John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson are at their best and there's never a dull moment from the real star, Room 1408. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's got class. Not just another torture fest. If you're looking for a sophisticated, well thought out, well made thriller that you can watch more than once just for the pleasure of its company, 1408 is for you. Cusack This is an actor's film. Cusack holds the whole movie as we watch the fearless cynic crumble. The eyes betray him. He deserves recognition. Time and again, he is better than the films he chooses.  Old School Horror I thought this was an ok movie. It is a classic ghost story/horror movie done with todays special effects. I thought it was pretty good but I must say, this is not my genre and I have never been a real fan of this type of movie or any horror movie for that matter. My friends really enjoyed it and if you like classic horror, ghost stories or scares of that nature you probably will find it to be a good one. I thought it was good but nothing I haven't seen from the old Hammer days with Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff.  An above- average, atmospheric horror thriller 1408 is one of the best film adaptations of a Stephen King story, and is highly atmospheric. I too am growing weary of movies masquerading themselves as horror films these days, when all they offer are ludicruous plot lines and excess gore, violence and gratuituous sex. By comparison, 1408 exceeds all expectations when taken for what it is - an intelligent horror movie that despite being rated a tame PG-13 delivers chills, thrills, and a strong performance by its lead actor, John Cusack, as well as a good supporting role by Samuel L Jackson. The story centers around a jaded author, Mike Enslin [John Cusack] who pens 'true horror' books but is actually a skeptic who doesn't believe in the afterworld or entities associated with it. He receives a cryptic postcard one day that tells him 'Do Not Enter 1408' -being a room in the Dolphin Hotel in NY, where Enslin has left behind a painful past. The rest of the movie picks up pace very quickly and viewers are in for a thrill ride as Enslin manages to overcome the protestations of the hotel manager [Samuel Jackson] and spends the night in 1408, which has one of the grisliest & bloody reputations in the annals of hotel history. Enslin finds his skepticism melting in the face of the unbelievable horrors he faces in 1408, and struggles to keep his wits about him to survive. The horror in this movie is very palpable - there is no gore or excess violence, but there's a pervasive sense of menace and evil that sends chills down one's spine, and a couple of jump-out-your-seat moments[not to mention a couple of plot twists]. But what truly lifts this movie is the strong & riveting performance by John Cusack. The whole movie basically revolves around him and it is amazing to watch an actor bring so much depth to his role as well as portray a feeling of alienation, isolation and paranoia as Enslin tries to face his fears in 1408. I am a fan of atmospheric horror movies, and 1408 ranks as one of my favorite horror movies [ The Haunting, Changeling, Rosemary's Baby, The Shining being some of my other favs]. If you're a fan of the horror genre, or simply a fan of psychological drama & thrillers, then 1408 should please you. | |||||||||||||
