1408

Category: Horror  |  Tags: scary horror

posted by: Horror King 511 days ago          

"1408" has finally arrived, adapted as the short story by horror-meister Stephen King. This is someone who has made his mark on the cosmos by dominating every horror story idea possible, but yet with this movie, I feel unable to give him the credit. The idea doesn't break any new ground. The twists are foreseeable. I felt the influence of "The Shining" quite strongly. Why on Earth did I like this movie? Because it's FREAKIN' scary in an innovative way.

This movie is quite the PG-13 dream: No nudity, very little blood, not much violence, the F-word once and I think I also heard a 'G**D***' once. It's pretty much a one-man show, with a couple of additional bit parts including the highly overhyped Samuel L. Jackson. The story won't surprise anyone who has seen more than 10 horror movies. So, how could this review possibly end with 4 stars?

The director of this movie, Mikael Hafstrom, is one to watch. Even considering the PG limitations of "The Ring," I found it to be a trendsetter in PG horror. The same is true for "1408." This director handles this idea by pushing the boundaries of how scary a scene can actually be without anything offensive. When I heard this movie had this rating, I was very disappointed. Other than "The Ring," PG horror movies are usually terrible. They do not capture true horror and there is not enough emphasis on the actors' fear. He has used excellent music - a variable which I consider to be the MOST important factor in setting the horror atmosphere. He knew when to add the jumps (I almost lost a $4 drink because of one of these). He blended in sorrow and lonliness as well as he could have. There was something scary happening almost all the time and the action was subtle yet effective. Most of all, I was delighted to see the excellent return of the 'creepy phone calls' notion. I just don't think I would get the same out of reading King's short story.

This director also made John Cusack work for his money. His acting was exceptional throughout, and he really shows how someone would behave in this terrible situation he's in. He looks scared, he acts scared and sometimes I thought he might really be scared. When a movie is made with one central character, everything rides on that character's performance and John Cusack does not let us down. When the room gets hot, he looks very uncomfortable.

"1408" packs a punch even for someone who has seen hundreds of horror movies. I highly recommend it. I can't wait for Mr. Hafstrom to do an R-rated horror film. He has definitely shown mastery over PG horror and I would imagine he impressed more than one producer with this one.