1408 (2007)

   

Directed by: Mikael Håfström

Written by: Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski
Stephen King (Novel)

Starring:

John Cusack .... Mike Enslin
Samuel L. Jackson .... Gerald Olin
Mary McCormack .... Lily Enslin
Jasmine Jessica Anthony .... Katie Enslin

Special Appearance:

Tony Shalhoub .... Sam Farrell


Release Dates:
Theatrical: June 22, 2007

 

Rating:

 

A supernatural writer in California named Mike Enslin (John Cusack) tries to discover a hotel down in New York at the Dolphin Hotel in a room number 1408 where people didn't check out and have died in and claims to be deadly haunted and posessed although he doesn't believe in ghosts she tries to spend the night there to see if anything happens for his latest book Enslin.
Well suddenly an alarm clock goes off giving him a countdown as well as him being badly hurt with the hotel window slamming onto his hand.
He realises that he can't leave the hotel and experiences all sorts of terror there including his past too which drives him insane almost making him feel suicidal.

 

There seems to be some dull moments during the first bit of this film like the main character Mike Enslin having discussions about his book and not believing in ghosts etc. Yet this seems to draw attention to the story in what we shall later see.
Also nice scenery around Manhattan Beach, California when he is about to go surfing as I have been to that beach in which it is a gorgeous place to be. Lots of good camera shots on him wiping out as well as struggling in the water which looked pretty suspenseful by spotting all of this along with a nice side shot on him gaining conciousness lying on the sand and a perfect camera looking up on a surfer to check if he's ok as it draws plenty of attnetion while watching all of this.
Also there's a good moment with him talking to the hotel manager Gerald Olsin in which things look very mysterious when he tries to warn him about what had happened in room 1408 as well as showing him pictures of corspes giving it that perfect eerie feel to everything while we see this going on as well as Mike not taking him seriously which is a bad thing we already notice and insisiting on staying there to keep up with his reports that there's no such thing as ghosts. All of this looked powerfully done and had a sort of The Shining traditional feel to this scene too. It's impressive for Gerald to try and warn him one last time to not pursue this which is another great one liner here in which we shall expect sheer terror while watching this later on.
There's many perfect shots on Mike walking down long hallways to find the room as even this looked spooky to watch as well as a great close up shot on the key unlocking the door as this looked very impressive to spot.
The surrounds with him getting hot looked pretty convincing when complaining about the heater not toning down as well as him asking the repair guy how to fix it when he said he's not coming into the room since the shocking stories of what had happened there and instructing him as to how to fix it which definetely gives you some chills knowing that our fellow Mike is going to be getting into something that he can't get out of.
Nice shots on him setting stuff up to see if anything happens as well as him recording himself which looks very mysterious as well as him sitting on a bed having a drink and things are very still until an alarm clock goes off which definetely shows a nice jumping moment as well as the clock showing that the time is going backwards as this for sure leaves a creepy feel to all this.
Also there's a perfect situation when he looks out the window with perfect shots on the window open having his hand next to the window sill as you have a painful feeling that it will slam on his hands as this situation makes you cringe big time.
What's more psychologically frightening when he realises that he's trapped inside his room which doesn't give you a good feeling at all. Plus there's a nice moment when he tries to wave at the building window across from him and a good strange incident that it's his reflection on the other side and suddenly he spots on the other side a murderer apporaching from behind him as this gives you the chills that this is just what is going to happen to him. This was nice, surprising and pefectly well done indeed.
Plus there's a situation when he tries to climb out of the window to see if he can step to another one but then a good wide shot on the building with just his window in existance and the rest a brick wall which gives you the chills big time to anyone who has a fear of heights and making you wonder if he will make it back to his window on time without falling along with a neat ghostly effect on a woman jumping out of a window as this was nicely computerised when she vanishes after falling. This for sure looked very entertaining and suspenseful too.
We spot a good moment when he tries to use his laptop to contact his wife Lily as there's good frusterating moments when he tries to urgently speak to her on a case like this as you get a feeling that something will get in the way with their conversation since it's a common moment in any horror flicks. This looked good to watch and to find out.
There are real touching sequences with him and other characters in the film during flashback segments of them together trying to be a family but yet so many dysfunctions happen. There's also good and disturbing sequences on Mike and Lily having a heated argument on their dying daughter which almost makes you want to cry that it looked that good and solidly paced here.
Another great moment that we spot Mike going into the vents to find a way out and in each place that he sees a vision of his past which was well done along with a type of zombie trying to come after him as this offers good terror into the story offering a nice change here.
Things get even more twisted when his room freezes while he tries to talk on his laptop to his wife once more and there's something twisted that happens here which looked greatly done and will psych you out too. Don't want to give this moment away but keep watching this scene and you will see.
Then we spot a situation as if he dreamt all of this in which we spot a situation on something happening earlier in his life and then spot some people smashing up walls leading to his hotel room again as this looked brilliantly done proving that he wasn't dreaming at all. This is a perfect teaser to the victim of these hauntings without a doubt.
We also spot a real touching moment with his little girl coming up to him asking him if he still loves her which is another good emotional situation making you feel like crying as well as them embracing one another but yet we spot a different twist after we spot them hugging.
Bottom line: Ahh yes another film based on Stephen King's short stories Everything's Eventual. It's truly scary in alot of scene's while watching it as usual with a legendary writer like him.
This flick almost borrowed in the same tradition as the Shining too.
The story is both supernatural and psychological. Truly creepy stuff too. If you like both then this film is for you as this seems to be the kind of horror people like nowadays. There's alot of mind boggling twists and turns in this film and you wonder what the hell is going on?!?

The acting is terrific especially by lead actor John Cusack (Mike Enslin) as he shopws his intensity terrifically as a writer trapped in the room. Does a good job with his sharp type of behavior while promoting his book in which he studied this scene perfectly well here. Also does a nice job with his sarcastic speaking and behavior about when he's warned on the hotel which also looked nicely hyped up. Plus does a nice job while jumping out of surprise when things seem a little too still which looked good and tense. He drew in a great insanity when the story got going especially his aggressions in certain parts as well as him getting aggressive really letting everything all out. He did a nice job with his quarrelling behavior in a certain spot of the story here as well as a moment when he starts sobbing in another area in which he seemed real by breaking down with this attitude. He really took the bull by it's horns with this character.
Mary McCormack
(Lily Enslin) is also great in her role as his wife and really knows her stuff. She does a nice job acting very life like in her first performance while talking on a webcam as she does well with herclear speaking and concerned type of behavior. Plus she does a nice job with her expressions too while doing all of this. She reacts nice and calm while talking to her onscreen daughter with a peaceful type of reaction on her about going to heaven as she was well focused doing all of this. She also does a nice job crying and quarelling in which she does a convincing job as someone who is dysfuntional and disturbed by a situation.
Samuel L. Jackson (Gerald Olin) always does a great job with whatever he does and certainly does a good job as a manager of an old hotel. He does a perfect job with his stern speaking and seriousness while warning someone about a certain room in which he showed a great powerful drive towards all of this. I often seen him act like this in other shows and it pulls off incredibly well. He also does a nice job with his worried behavior in speaking as well. Plus he does a nice job in a hallucination sequence laughing and acting cruel with his words which is a nice twist here. Plus he does a great job with his still attitude during the end of his performance speaking calmly. He;s a great all around character actor without a doubt.
Child actress Jasmine Jessica Anthony (Katie Enslin) does so well as someone with a heath issue that you want to protect her.
She shows a good well focused type of attitude which looked believeable as well as her slowly walking towards someone ready to sob while talking to that person which also looked believeably touching too.

There are pictures as well as hallucinations of people bloodily murdered.

The music was nicely orchestrated with lots of other creepy sounds by Gabriel Yared as it sounds very horror like and professional sounding. Alot of good deep violin music as well as hearing alot of hissing and humming which fits in for the haunting moments along with great fast paced music too sounding very strong and powerful. Plus alot of surprise drum booming too. Towards the end of the story we hear some nice piano tapping which sounded nice and mellow for what we spot in the picture.

For the songtracks of course we hear a recurring song from The Carpenters when the alarm clock goes off which is their song "We've Only Just Begun" as we hear a pleasant singing. In fact this sounds too pleasant that you know a suspected haunting is going to happen after this. Nicely done here.

Gerald Olin: You do drink don't you?
Mike Enslin: Of course. I just said I was a writer.

Gerald Olin: I will let you have this
[pats documents regarding 1408's victims]
Gerald Olin: , give you access to my office, you can take notes and put it all in your book. My only condition is that you do not stay in that room.
Mike Enslin: ...You'll let me look at all that stuff?
[considering Olin's offer]
Gerald Olin: Hmm.
Mike Enslin: ...You know I never did get that drink.
[Olin pours a glass of the 800$ whiskey, handing it to Enslin. Enslin takes a sip]
Mike Enslin: Ooh, that is good.
Gerald Olin: [smiling] Here, keep it. Compliments of the house.
[hands bottle to Enslin]
Mike Enslin: [after dropping the bottle into his bag and taking another sip] I'm still staying.
Gerald Olin: [yelling] Dammit to hell!

Mike Enslin: [after the toilet paper has been turned down, and the chocolates appear] Finally! Something to for me to write about! I ghost that offers turn down service!

Room 1408: Even if you leave this room, you can never leave this room!

Katie: Mommy, are there people where I'm going?
Mike Enslin: Hey... you're not going anywhere. You're staying right here with us. Okay?
Katie: Daddy... everybody dies.
Lily Enslin: When they're older.
Mike Enslin: Much, much older than you.
Lily Enslin: And for the people who go, it's beautiful. All their friends are there...
Katie: Is God there Daddy?
Mike Enslin: Yes.
Katie: Do you really believe that Daddy?

Mike Enslin: [yelling at the top of his voice] We didn't do enough!
Lily Enslin: [crying] Oh god! What are you talking about? We did everything we could have done!
Mike Enslin: [still yelling] We should have helped her fight! Not filled her head up with bullshit stories of heaven, and clouds and nirvana!
[flips over coffee table]
Lily Enslin: [crying] She liked those stories!
Mike Enslin: [no longer yelling] I need to get some cigarettes...

Mike Enslin: [after escaping from the ventilation shaft and falling back into 1408] Ah, its good to be back.

Mike Enslin: Lily, did you call the police?
Lily Enslin: Yeah. They're in room 1408. The room's empty.

Mike Enslin: Why don't you just kill me?
Room 1408: Because all guests of this hotel enjoy free will, Mr. Enslin.

Mike Enslin: [staring at the endless door] Open it.