FamilyFans Movies
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1408 (PG-13)
Plot Summary: A horror author decides to debunk the mystery of a a supposedly haunted hotel room - and finds himself locked into terror instead.
Reason for the Rating: Thematic material, disturbing sequences of violence and terror, frightening images and language.
Stephen King’s works have uncertain box office fates, mostly because his epics don’t translate well to the big screen. There’s too much story to completely translate, and the movies are often flimsy in comparison. His most successful movie adaptations: Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and Stand By Me were based on short stories, and the movies of his novels have suffered dismal fates: Dreamcatcher, Dark Half, Desperation, and the original ‘70’s version of The Shining are excellent examples. The notable exception is Needful Things, mostly because of actor Ed Harris’s capable performance.
King’s miniseries usually fare better because they do his works more justice, but even then, they don’t always succeed. Though Tim Curry nails Pennywise the evil clown, the mini-series It is laughable compared to its 1000+ novel counterpart. Rose Red was a great series and so was Salem’s Lot, but the actors cast in both fit their characters superbly – especially Rob Lowe in Lot. In The Stand, Gary Sinese fit the role of Stu Redman comfortably, but the mini-series doesn’t approach the novel’s epic proportions. Last summer’s TNT mini-series, Nightmares & Dreamscapes, was wonderful – but again, based on his short stories.
The latest movie adaptation of a King tale – 1408, a short story from his 2002 collection, Everything’s Eventual, starring John Cusak and Samuel L. Jackson – blessedly belongs in the winner’s circle. This is King at his finest; there are spooks, creepy crawlies, and armrest-grabbing scenes galore, but at the core is something more resonant than just a good scare.
Michael Enslin is a renowned but cynical
horror novelist whose career is evaporating. Nursing deep wounds from his only
daughter’s untimely death, separated from his wife, Enslin has traveled around
the country, staying in “haunted” houses, hotels, and mansions, debunking
supernatural stories. He’s lost faith in God, heaven, life after death, and now
seeks to disprove every haunting he can find.
With his latest project Ten Nights in Ten Haunted Hotel Rooms almost finished, Enslin receives a enigmatic postcard from the famed Dolphin Hotel in New York, inscribed only with, “Don’t Go Into 1408.” Thinking it’s just another elaborately designed hoax – right down to the hotel manager’s, (played by Jackson), desperate urgings against the matter – Enslin checks into 1408, expecting another uneventful night.
He soon discovers that in his pride and arrogance, he’s made a dreadful mistake, and whether or not he’ll survive his hubris depends on how much terror he can take before the room forces him to kill himself.
1408 is delightfully creepy, but it’s artfully frightening, unlike the gore-fests of the Hostel or Saw movies. You’ll jump at creaking floors and slamming doors, but like many Stephen King stories, the evil “big bad” is merely a plot device used to enrich character development.
From a faith perspective, it’s always
intriguing to watch the themes King repeatedly uses: the power of faith, free
will, the existence of God, and how loss of faith equates loss of self. As
Enslin struggles to acknowledge the supernatural, the evil room plays out the
most painful moments of his daughter’s death, and he grapples with the concepts
of heaven and God. At a pivotal moment, the evil room offers Enslin a choice,
reminding him that opting for their “speedy check-out service” – a clever
nom-de-plumb for suicide – is completely up to him, because like all the other
hotel services, free will is part of the package.
Cusak gives his usually wonderful performance, sinking into the role of a grieving father and self-absorbed author easily, and Samuel L. Jackson is of course, Samuel L. Jackson – striking, intimidating, wise, and flippant all at once. This is not just another scare-fest to be pulled out every Halloween and endured as a test of bravery; it’s a chilling tale that’s just as thought-provoking as it is frightening.
FAMILYFANS RECOMMENDS:
The intense fright scenes may be too much for younger teens, but older teens (and their parents) who like a good scare will probably enjoy this film.
AFTER THE SHOW:
• What would tempt (or has tempted) you to lose faith in God? Why?
• What would you do if you were caught in a situation similar to Michael Enslin?
• What role does Jesus Christ play in your understanding of the supernatural? Defend your explanation.
KL
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