We've Only Just Begun........in Room 1408
Written: Jul 16 '07 (Updated Jul 16 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: John Cusak, use of sound, story
Cons: The Ending
The Bottom Line: A solid psychological thriller that was worth the money I paid to see it.
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| cmaw63's Full Review: 1408 |
I'm a fan of psychological thrillers. Not the blood and gore, slash 'em, gash 'em type...but the kind that distorts reality creating an edge of your seat mind ride. I was more than ready to go when a friend asked me to see 1408 with her.
1408
Mike Enslin (John Cusak) has a jaded outlook on whether or not ghosts or hauntings exist. Yet, he has made a living writing non-fiction books on top ten haunted places. After the death of his young daughter he searches for something...anything that proves there is some sort of existence after a person dies. He has not found that proof.
Needing to finish his newest book, but at a loss for inspiration for the last chapter, he receives a postcard warning him not to stay in room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel. Intrigued after researching it and finding several deaths that occurred there he heads to New York.
Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson), as the manager of the Dolphin Hotel, tries to persuade Mike from staying in the room. Offering $800 liquor, a penthouse, and more in the hopes that Mike will not become a 1408 statistic. 56 deaths have taken place in the room...Olin doesn't want it to be 57.
With the assurance that he doesn't believe in the supernatural, Mike takes a portfolio of those that have died and the key to 1408. In his sarcastic, yet humorous ramblings to his tape recorder he describes the ordinary looking room. When the radio blares the song "We've only just begun..." and the numbers on the clock starts a countdown from 60:00...Mike starts believing. People who have died in the room threaten him, walls bleed, his deceased daughter asks him to stay with her. Is it real...or is it his personal demons playing with his mind?
Edge of the Seat Factor
This was pretty much a one man show. John Cusak was either going to make or break this film. He definitely made it. His portrayal of Mike Enslin as the jaded author had it's moments of humor. It was when he became tormented by the happenings in room 1408 that his acting skills were the best I had ever seen from him. His facial expressions and ability to go from disbelief to horror in a blink of an eye were believable of a man experiencing what he was going through.
Samuel L. Jackson was fine in his role as manager Gerald Olin. It was a relatively brief part, I felt he worked well with what he had.
Mary McCormick, as Lily Enslin, played the estranged wife of Mike. Nothing outstanding here, but solid acting. Another role that played a small part in the major scheme of the movie.
Other than John Cusak's performance what impressed me most was the use of sound. A period of muffled sound had me trying to pop my ears as Cusak was on the screen. Soft sounds were where they were going to be most effective, as loud sounds played during the precise time needed. I liked that there wasn't a build up of music to lend a hand in pointing out something was going to happen. It kept me from preparing for the jumping in my seat.
The ending...sigh...the ending. Why after such an intense movie the ending would be so soft was beyond me. 1408 had me through the first fourth of the movie, getting to know Mike. It grabbed me through the half that included the intense room experiences. It lost me in the final part. It loses a star for that.
Still, if you like a psychological thriller that will keep you in suspense of what is going to happen next I recommend 1408. It is not a complete edge of your seat experience. It is a solid mind game. If nothing else, John Cusak's performance was worth the money I paid to see this movie.
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1408 has a PG-13 rating and I feel that is adequate as long as the 13 to 15 age group has some semblance of maturity. It has a 94 minute run time that allows for a decent pace after the initial beginning where the audience is allowed to get to know Mike Enslin and why he does what he does.
**Note: This movie is in theaters now...not on dvd/vhs as listed in Epinions database.**
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
cmaw63
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 in Pets, Home and Garden, Books |
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Member: Julie
Location: Illinois, USA
Reviews written: 307
Trusted by: 73 members
About Me:
Looking forward to my first grandbaby. She's due November 24!
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