The baffling phenomena in “1408” might make more sense if you know that this film is an adaptation of Stephen King’s short story of the same title. King’s story leaves a lot to the imagination, so it must have been a difficult task to turn the open-ended narrative into a profitable script. Screenwriters Greenberg, Alexander and Karaszewski took some creative initiative and filled in some of the blanks in King’s storyline in order to make it slightly less convoluted to audiences. The film may be a commercialized version of King’s psychologically disturbing thriller, but you will still be perplexed by the supernatural occurrences on screen… at least for the first 60 minutes or so.
The film unnecessarily drags on, overstaying its welcome in the same way as its protagonist, Mike Enslin (John Cusack), does when he decides to spend the night at the deceptively ordinary suite 1408. Enslin, a tormented author reminiscent of Jack Torrance from “The Shining” and Mort Rainey from “Secret Window,” writes travelogues that debunk supernatural myths about spooky places. He is a rationalist who believes that everything has a reasonable explanation. In other words, he has it coming. Predictably enough, Enslin’s cynicism toward the paranormal dissolves once he is forced to acknowledge that suite 1408 is not – as he had previously asserted – “just a room.”
The movie starts off as a psychological thriller, where the horror is produced by what is implied, not what is shown. Don’t expect to be grossed out by cheap, “Hostel”-style gimmicks. Of course, “1408” does have its clichéd moments. Director Mikael Håfström resorts to the occasional creepy sound effects because, let’s face it, technicolor ghosts are not that scary. The film goes overboard when the terror escalates to epic-like dimensions and the visual effects overwhelm the psychologically disturbing aspect of the story. Do not be surprised if you have a “Titanic” flashback while watching this movie. If nothing else, “1408” has some unexpected twists that will literally creep up on you.
Stephen King has the ability to turn clichéd scenarios, such as the haunted hotel room, into unique masterpieces. In contrast, director Mikael Håfström’s version lacks the originality of its prototype. Nonetheless, the film is aware of its limitations and is willing to poke fun at them. Cusack’s character finds humor in the strangest places, and so will the audience. When Enslin exclaims “where is the bone-chilling terror?,” you sort of expect him to turn around and wink at the camera.
Cusack’s performance is one of the redeeming aspects of the film. Cusack is basically running a one-man show for most of the film’s duration, but his wide range of emotional fluctuations compensates for the lack of a strong supporting cast. Unfortunately, Cusack’s performance – like the rest of the film – ultimately comes off as unnecessarily embellished because it goes on for longer than it should.
Stephen King’s short story might have been too short for a feature length film, which partly explains why the director and writers felt the need to embellish it with subplots and special effects. “1408” is certainly not as bewildering as a David Lynch film, but it does pose some enigmas for inquiring minds to ponder.