1408

I watched 1408 the other week. I was so looking forward to watching it since it’s an adaptation of a short story written by one of my favourite writers… Stephen King. The storyline is about a sceptical paranormal writer Enslin. At the start of the story there are suggestions that he “was” a brilliant writer, but had gone the path of writing a series of books concentrating on the paranormal occurrences in different locations, the theme of which is 10 nights in either graveyards or inns, because he was undergoing depression or “stuff” if you would like to call it that way. John Cusack is brilliant as Enslin, he is a wee bit older but he does carry 95% percent of the film and he does it well. Ok, its not an Oscar worthy performance but he is believable.So going back to the story, Enslin then starts his research to write his next series entitled 10 nights in 10 haunted hotel rooms and that’s how he comes across the Dolphin Hotel in New York with its room 1408 (numbers add to 13).Enslin does his best to get a reservation to stay in that room although the manager (Samuel L. Jackson) has forbidden the room EVER being used. And obviously Enslin gets to stay in the room or we don’t have a story. (Samuel L. Jackson, sorry to say only had a few scenes in this film and that is such a pity, ‘cos I think he’s a brilliant, cool actor)The build up to the stay in the room and the initial sequences when Enslin was in the room are real creepy. The story gets you going as it is more psychological the first three quarters of the film. It only gets a bit of a let down in the end, as you expect some sort of explanation or depth to what the room is, why is it evil, etc. What you get is Enslin being saved and then finding he is back in the room again… a kind of déjà vu state if you would think it that way. The film maker probably though it best to make the audience decide as to the outcome of the protagonist, although I myself would have preferred a defined ending.