1408

It's a hit or miss thing with Stephen King movies. Sometimes there's an exceptional effort by someone with a really strong vision (eg Kubrick, De Palma), but then there are also some big blunders (Dreamcatcher comes first to mind). And then there are those that sort of lie right in the middle, as decent, unpretentious but unremarkable efforts that chill or spill into your living room or movie theater. 1408 isn't a great thriller, but for King fans it'll likely be one of the most faithful- or at least feel faithful- efforts to date, and as such it's pretty creepy and a sure-fire "gotcha" machine. The premise is vintage King: a cynical writer (Cusack) who's books go over the paranormal (with the exception of a personal book about a father and son), and gets sent an anonymous postcard about the Dolphin hotel and room 1408. The manager warns him, fervently, to not stay in the room. But he's insistent to the point where there's no turning back. Slowly, but extremely surely, things start popping up in the room, out of Elsin's own consciousness, perhaps, and as well with the environment changing (fix that heater!), and even a pint-sized version of the hotel manager (who doesn't want to see Jackon ala Indian in the Cupboard?).

It all leads up to a few good twists and turns, but good being the important word here. Unlike the unsuccessful pot-boiler Identity, which also (regrettably) starred Cusack, this isn't contrived for the sake of it. The sudden images of a man with an ax swinging at Elson, the images of ghosts jumping out of the windows (one of them, which I found extraordinary, was shown with the same marks that come with an old movie print), isolation enhanced by a lack of windows to either side, and that bottle of booze. Spiked? Probably not- this is a thrill-ride predicated on lightning-fast imagery, but too fast (it isn't Saw thank goodness), and Elsin's past, notably the death of his daughter. It's usually a conceit that the filmmaker puts in to have the central character to have a dark past loaded with sadness, but here it works effectively in how gradually it all comes out, and how the fear/acceptance of death is something just as, if not more-so, terrifying than anything else the room has to offer.

As I said, not a great film, as sometimes it has that feel of an all-too well-oiled machine by director Mikael Håfström, edging on feeling like there's a checklist somewhere of things to happen in the room to Elsin. But, as mentioned, it doesn't come off as being too unsurprising. On the contrary, there is some originality to how the special effects team- via Cusack, going through many modes of acting like it's a powerhouse audition- bring out the best of what can be offered with a horror-show amusement park. It may be in part like a ghost house, but it's a fun and exciting one, and more watchable than any other PG-13 horror film I've seen in a while. 7.5/10

Here's why. Stephen King's psychological horror rarely ever shows its face on the screen the way it appears in his writing. This movie captures a lot of the mental torture that Stephen King writes so well (embodied in room 1408). I typically always see Cusack as playing himself in every movie he's in. Fortunately, this role appeals to that character. I would say see it and judge for yourself. I specifically enjoyed the background music and director's choice of camera angles. I also appreciated the mix of surprise horror and psychological. All too often, a horror film loads up too much on one side and it just doesn't work out well!

The word "horror" has become increasingly twisted in modern cinema to be equated with paper thin excuses for characters being subjected to senseless violence and various cheap shocks intended to make the audience sporadically jump rather than actually be subjected to an all-consuming sense of overwhelming fear. With that in mind, it is refreshing to see a literary adaptation from Steven King, largely considered the godfather of the modern horror story, which resists falling prey to such trappings, and instead concentrates on generating more carefully thought out scares, preying on deep seated societal terrors. As such, director Mikael Håfström's 1408 proves a merciful throwback to the days of psychological horror thrillers, concentrating more on the mind than the bile duct, and a solid enough effort to help re-instigate the initial traits of the genre into the modern mainstream.

While the film's premise of a jaded writer (Cusack) with a haunted past attempting to debunk legendary horrific sites having his cynicism tested by unknown forces surrounding an ominous hotel room with a death toll of 57 may sound implausible out of context, the film's execution is just intelligent and self-aware enough to make it work. Håfström's firm and capable directorial hand keeps things suitably grounded in reality when some of the film's more far-fetched plot points threaten to overwhelm the credibility of the work as a whole (for starters, the question as to why a hotel with such a macabre past would be allowed to continue to operate, let alone have clientele is never addressed, and the ending twist may leave audiences divided as to its effectiveness...). But 1408 looks and feels like such a staunchly quality work that such complaints often disintegrate once the film picks up upon the introduction of the titular room and the viewer is wrapped up by the superbly executed suspense generated throughout.

And while the film does dip rather heavily into conventions of previous similar works (the horrifying events Enslin is subjected to feel almost like a checklist of horror movie plot devices) the element which really makes the film worthwhile and excuses many of the inevitable lapses in logic is the psychological angle, leaving the audience consistently guessing as to whether the paranormal events are actually happening or whether the whole thing is occurring in the protagonist's feverish mind. While the screenplay varies between cleverly crafted lines and typical horror melodrama, the film proves an intriguing experiment in making use of a single space, and instead of the film being shot primarily in a single room proving limiting, Håfström manages to make it consistently fresh and engaging in its ever- changing state. The uncommonly innovative cinematography adds to the scare factor, as does Gabriel Yared's musical score, despite its frequent descent into horror cliché.

Despite the film being for the most part essentially a one man show, the inspired casting of John Cusack as Mike Enslin proves the film's most promising attribute. With only four walls and a floor to interact with for the bulk of the narrative, Cusack's quirky charisma proves the perfect element to provide a fresh touch to what could have collapsed into commercial formulaic monotony. With a brilliantly tuned, entirely credible rendition of a scarred cynic descending slowly into madness, Cusack resists the temptation to ham it up, and instead remains coolly understated, making it all the more unsettling as his composed exterior slowly unravels. Perfectly delivering many of his character's wittily verbose lines, Cusack sells the role with a commanding credibility few other actors could have mustered. Samuel L. Jackson also makes a strong impression in his brief scenes, and despite the almost unnecessary inclusion of his character, Jackson makes it worth the audience's while with a weighty gravitas which perfectly amps up the tension for the ensuing horror. Mary McCormack also does her best as the hideously conventional "distanced wife still attracted to the protagonist" figure, and emerges with a decent performance despite her almost criminally underdeveloped role.

What could have descended into commercial drivel under different circumstances instead proves a surprisingly intelligent and capably crafted psychological thriller, a merciful diversion from the trashy gore-fests inundating cinemas these days. While comparisons to earlier King adaptation The Shining among other works are inevitable, and despite the frequent reliance on formula, somehow new frights are extracted from age-old conventions, and with a strong directorial touch and an endlessly engaging lead performance 1408 proves a gruesomely entertaining bright spark in a fading ember of a genre, one which even the most jaded horror fans can appreciate and enjoy.

-8/10

"1408" is a story taken from a Stephen King short story. Because it's from a short story, it's not surprising that the film has a very simple plot.

Mike (John Cusack) is the author of various parapsychology books about ghosts. One of the specialities of some of the books are haunted hotels and he spends much of his time traveling all over trying out these hotel rooms and then writing about how he saw no evidence of hauntings. However, when he checks out a lead to haunted room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel, he finds that the hotel is intent on convincing him not to stay there! In other words, while most hotels play up the haunted angle to drum up business, this place tries hard to convince folks not to stay in 1408. What follows is Mike's hellish experience staying in a room that seems less haunted and more just evil...and intent on breaking him and driving him into madness by preying on his greatest fears.

This film has one of the simplest plots I can recall and a very tiny cast. In fact, most of the film it's just Cusack and the room of evil! And, given these constraints, it's a pretty amazing horror film. Vivid, scary and very unconventional. It's NOT some typical ghost or horror story, that's for sure. And, the worst part of it? The ever-present danger that the room will once again play the Carpenter's "We've Only Just Begun"...which is does repeatedly!

Shined Up

I decided to watch this after Polanski's "the Tenant" and that was probably a bad choice, because that film is precious.

This one consists of three elements, typical of the King formula.

The first is the expression of terror, shaped safely so that you can watch but not be personally threatened. I think this is a King invention. Here, we know WE would have taken seriously the warnings so he deserves what he gets. It relieves us.

The second element is trite, so far as I am concerned. Also a King specialty is to weave some sort of emotional trauma into the otherwise merely decorative horror. Here it is the death of our character's child, which happened before we meet him. This allows for the final zinger.

The third element is the stuff I study and that King knows well. I call it narrative folding. Situations are nested in each other. Time gets shifted, at the same time that the period in the room proceeds in real time, even with a clock counting down. Ghosts inhabit ghosts and all people are ghosts. Cold is hot. Water is land. Daughter is wife.

This is the stuff that makes the film work, and I think it is done pretty well. Its why they picked Cusak. He understands this stuff. Has since "Malkovich" and "Fidelity" and mastered in "Identity."

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.