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Bookmark this page1408 (2007)
Director: Mikael Håfström
Movie review
From Time Out London
A polished Stephen King adaptation from Swedish director Mikael Håfström (‘Derailed’), whose taut psychological chiller is tarnished only by outstaying its welcome towards the end. It’s virtually a one-man show for John Cusack, as a jaded debunker of paranormal phenomena whose curiosity is piqued by an anonymous postcard about Room 1408 at New York’s Dolphin Hotel. So he checks in, dismissing as sales patter hotel manager Samuel L Jackson’s forceful warning that, ‘it’s a an evil fucking room’.
Once inside, however, the cynical Cusack is assailed not only by malevolent supernatural forces, but also his own inner demons – painful memories of the death of his daughter and the subsequent collapse of his marriage. His increasing paranoia and psychological unravelling therefore have an affecting emotional dimension, although the flashbacks and a badly misjudged false ending take us out of the room and undercut the sense of claustrophobia. Håfström stages the set-piece scares with skill, helped by Benoît Delhomme’s imaginative cinematography and some nice creepy touches: notably, a clock radio that only plays The Carpenters’ ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’.
Author: Nigel Floyd
Time Out London Issue 1932: August 29-September 4 2007
User reviews of this film
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- sxc sadzzz said...
- Posted on Sep 02 2007 10:37 hhhmmm wasnt very scary was very predictable but needed more thrillss
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- lari said...
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Posted on Sep 02 2007 08:18
hello!!! is it the same movie we are all talking about???
it was just alright ....way too generic and predictable tho!!!acting was spot on...but it sure needed somemore twists , turns and scariness....certainly wont advise anyone 2 spend money on this ...just wait till its out on Tv then u'll be thanking me 4 this great piece of advise - Report as inappropriate
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- cdrom said...
- Posted on Sep 01 2007 17:12 i thought the film was very creapy.a great movie,not alot of gore wich i think made the movie worth giong to see.well worth going to see.
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- Gaz Coward said...
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Posted on Sep 01 2007 01:40
I just got back from watching “1408”
So what can I say about the film?
WOW! The film had some of the best acting I’ve seen from “Cusack” in many years, Samuel L. Jackson was a great hotel manager, his character set the pitch for the film with his spooky attitude towards room “1408”
I don’t want to say to much because I’m sure a lot of people haven’t yet managed to get to the cinema to watch it but my final thought on the movie is this….
If you don’t go to see it at the cinema then make sure you rent it on DVD when it’s released as you’d be a fool to miss out! - Report as inappropriate
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- Mr P said...
- Posted on Sep 01 2007 00:41 brill must see it as easy as that
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- ***Stacey*** said...
- Posted on Aug 31 2007 11:19 i thought the film was great i deffo wont be sleeping tonight
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Mikael Håfström
Producer: Lorenzo Di Bonaventura
Cast: John Cusack, Samuel L Jackson, Mary McCormack, Tony Shalhoub, Jasmine Jessica Anthony full cast
Genre(s): Fantasy, Horror, Thrillers
Rated: 15
Duration: 105 mins
UK Release: Aug 31 2007
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