I admit to liking a good supernatural suspense story on occasion, and I found 1408 to be quite the hair raiser. In this movie, based on a short story by Stephen King, John Cusack plays a writer named Mike Enslin. He's got talent, but he's got very little drive. Early in Mike's career, he wrote a very personal book seemingly based on his poor relationship with his father. But it lacked sales, and then personal tragedy (the death of his daughter) pushed him to write hack personal accounts debunking haunted hotels and bed and breakfasts. His personal appearances for autograph signings at bookstores result in low turnouts.

When Mike receives a mysterious postcard from the Dolphin Hotel in New York City with the simple message, "Don't stay in 1408," he is intrigued. He also notes that when the numbers in the room are added up (1+4+0+8), they equal 13. After calling to book a reservation, he's told that no one is allowed to stay in this room. Mike does a bit of research and discovers that 20 or so people have taken their own lives in 1408. Later he will find out the death toll is much higher--newspapers didn't report the 30 or so more deaths of supposed "natural" causes (heart attack, stroke, etc.). Using a little known Civil Rights law, Mike forces the manager of the Dolphin Hotel (played by Samuel L. Jackson) to let him stay in the room. Then hilarity ensues. Okay, hilarity is certainly not the right word. Substitute horror.

Really, I don't want to give away anymore of the movie. I realize that only a small fraction of those reading this will actually go see it. However, the experience in the hotel room is a roller coaster ride that won't be soon forgotten. Cusack is a very talented actor. He's about a year older than me, and watching his performance in Better Off Dead when I was a teenager made me immediately connect to him, something that has lasted to this day. I've even suffered through the occasional romantic comedy that Kathy often wants to see if he's in it. Of course 1408 is no romantic comedy. But it does put Cusack into a role a bit different from his other performances. Probably about 2/3 of the movie takes place in room 1408 and Cusack has the entire screen only to himself. The only two characters are Cusack's and then the room itself. Few actors could pull that kind of performance off, but Cusack does it well and we get to see emotions from him that very few of his other films ever do.

Although Samuel L. Jackson garners half of the movie poster, he's only in the movie for a very short period of time. I suppose that the role of the manager could have been played by any working actor, but Jackson's casting creates a character that exhibits both authority and distrust at the same time.

The movie keeps the audience guessing up to the last minute. Is the room really haunted? Or is Enslin dreaming? Or has he been drugged? Is he having a mental breakdown? Just when you think you know, you find out that you don't know. 1408 is not quite on the same level as King and Kubrick's The Shining, which is of similar genre. However, it's a fun thrill ride with a few genuinely scary moments. It will certainly keep your attention--if you're brave enough to enter.