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Directed By
Mikael Håfström
Written By:
Matt Greenberg, Larry Karaszewski, Stephen King, Scott Alexander
Cast:
John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary McCormack, Andrew Lee Potts, Kim Thomson, Len Cariou, Drew Powell, Noah Lee Margetts, Tyler Nilson, Jessica Cail, Thomas A. McMahon, Peter Conboy, Jasmine Jessica Anthony, Peter Conboy, Chris Carey, Walter Lewis, Ike Ononye
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1408 (2007)
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Movie Review by Zara 
June 25th, 2007
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For a little balance
I think I might have had too many expectations for this movie. I'm one of the people who watched Cusack in IDENTITY and didn't understand why more people didn't turn out to go see it. I was hoping that with Stephen King's name attached to this project that John would be able to get a little more recognition for being more than just the '80's heartthrob. Sadly, I didn't find this the case.
The movie's trailers offer up something that looks very spooky although most of the cynics automatically dismissed it because the movie was given a PG-13 rating. I won't go into how I never really pay too much attention to the ratings (they're all f*cked up, all across the board in my opinion, from G to NC-17) but I won't lie. Knowing that it was PG-13 made me start thinking about all the movies that got trimmed back in order to get that rating, missing out big chunks of their story in the process and making the films crap overall.
I don't think this is the case with 1408. I think the story is solid through, I just didn't care for the story. There's a feel to it that is overdone to me. The skeptic gets proven wrong by supernatural powers that are really created with CGI effects and the like. Doesn't really ring true. If I wanted to see a skeptic get proven wrong, I'd go looking into documentaries with actual real footage that proved that to be the case.
The movie starts off well and the devolves by the time that Cusack is in the haunted room in the hotel. The few moments of knee-jerk reaction appear to have been thrown in for those douche bags who really believed that a tape could kill you after watching THE RING. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't like that crap if it's forced. So the turning around and seeing people from out of nowhere, yada yada yada.... yeah, I'm over that.
I waited all weekend after seeing the movie hoping that if it sank in more I might not have such a mediocre opinion of it. All that I managed to figure out is that Cusack really does have bite when it comes to acting and apparently people are only going to pay attention to him if he's playing the fumbling, awkward romantic lead or if he's shuddering and dripping with moisture in some supernatural tale.
To that, I say... watch STAND BY ME again. I bet most of you have forgotten that he was the big brother in that movie. Watch TAPEHEADS. Hell, even watch THE GRIFTERS. Just try a different slice of Cusack. He's offered up enough of himself for the taking.
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 | Cocoa
Jun 25, 2007 10:21 PM
also wrote a review of 1408 
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Hi, Zara!
Is it OK if my favorite John Cusack movie is Grosse Pointe Blank? :)
And although I'm disappointed that you don't like it, I still want to see this movie...
Peace, Cocoa |
 | James
Jun 25, 2007 11:35 PM
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| I agree with this review 1000%. Cusak is a fine actor who's done more than be the cute guy in the rain. |
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