You've been warned: Don't check into 1408 and don't buy the movie ticket either
by garethusa - Written: Jun 23 '07 (Updated Jun 23 '07)
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: First 30 minutes or so.
Cons: The remainder of the movie. Drags and loses momentum.
The Bottom Line: You may not see gore in this film but it ain't creepy even to remember. Don't bother checking in.
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| garethusa's Full Review: 1408 |
My goodness it's almost 12 hours since I saw 1408 and it's almost been erased from my memory. I just wish it would be forgotten period!!!!
I think this has been the summer or year of very great movie trailer making and deceiving marketing that you go into a movie expecting something and get something else totally different. Read my review for "Bug" for instance. Now that film at least has better acting power than "1408" could ever deliver.
So this is not a positive movie review but one that let's you know that it's okay to skip this room and get yourself another ticket to something else.
****
I have to admit, the first 30 minutes or so of '1408' actually felt like it was building up and leading somewhere. You have a washed out author who writes books about haunted hotels, bed and breakfasts, cemetaries, restaurants, beauty shops, car dealerships, outlet malls.....you get the idea. Except he has no real belief in ghosts, ghouls, or goblins. He has no faith in God either.
Hmmmm? Why do we need to know that?
Anyway, he gets a postcard in his mailbox that he rents from the post office that is from 'The Dolphin' in NYC which includes a clever message: "Don't stay in 1408."
Actually, this seems pretty amusing and feels like something sinister is playing with him, teasing him, daring him to see if he takes the bait! Could it be another hotel owner looking to get some publicity from appearing in his upcoming books?
No. Samuel Jackson, who plays the general manager of 'The Dolphin' attempts to dissuade Cusack's character (I don't even remember what his name was in the movie anymore!!!!) from staying in room 1408 as it has a long, long, long history of deaths - some natural and some very unnatural.
Without any fear or second thoughts, Cusack still demands to stay in 1408 despite given a file as big as Forrest's Gump's box of chocolates that includes detailed reports, murder scene photos, and other gruesome tidbits about every single person who died in 1408.
****
Yeah, the movie is gaining some steam and definitely got me curious enough to also want to check 1408 out with Cusack.
After his first few hours in there, madness stirs. And then madness really begins to play with Cusack and the moviegoer.
****
SPOILERS OF THE MOVIE WILL CONTINUE AFTER THIS SO DON'T READ IF YOU WANT TO SEE FILM (BUT DON'T):
Cusack actually begins to have hallucinations. Or are they? Could all the madness that is happening in 1408 be a set up or manipulated? How did the bed get turned over so fast and offer chocolates on the pillows without anyone ever going in the room to begin with?
Hmmmmm.......
However this is where the movie begins to fall apart for me.
Where as I wanted to see a thriller-horror film, I get something left over from a made-for-afternoon-school special on Lifetime for Women about a father who is mourning the death of his daughter.
Yep. That's right.
Cusack's character has a past that has completely knocked out his faith. And it's because his daughter died. She even comes back to comfort him in his moment of need in 1408.
But then so does a surfboarding incident which kinda shifts the feel of the movie, breaking the momentum of everything that is going on with the thrilling-horror part.
In essence, the whole film from this point on feels like if the rug was being pulled under from me. And you begin to wonder if 1408 or The Dolphin or the General Manager are even real!!!!
*****
I know that I spent a little more of my real time this morning watching a movie that was enticing but only delivered less-than-acceptable room service.
Skip 1408 and go watch 'Bug'.
Recommended:
No
Movie Mood: None of the Above
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Everything
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