I have seen 1408 numerous times and it is always a movie I have fun with. Despite owning the Blu-Ray, I was scrolling through Amazon Prime saw it, and decided to watch it. One of the fun things about 1408 is that there are multiple endings and depending on if you saw it in the theatre or what version of the DVD/Blu-Ray you have, the ending may be different. I was excited while watching this on Amazon Prime as I never knew which one of the endings I was going to get.
How to Download 1408
1408 was released on June 22, 2007. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you’re interested in other movies based on Stephen King’s Works we recommend The Boogeyman, Secret Window, It, or, The Dark Tower.
The Movie Review
A Stephen King Classic Adaptation
1408 is based on a Stephen King short story. I am a massive Stephen King fan and I would put 1408 right up there with the best Stephen King adaptations. While 1408 was only a short story, this is one of the rare occasions where I feel that the movie is actually superior to the book. The book kind of just starts, the movie on the other hand gives us a bit of stuff about the main character, Mike Enslin who is played by John Cusack.
John Cusack Shines as Mike Enslin
Mike Enslin is a writer who makes a living writing books that debunk paranormal activity. Mike visits supposed haunted locations and proves that the hauntings are not ghosts, but regular things happening. John Cusack does a great job of playing Mike Enslin. He is a pretty jaded guy who lost his daughter and he has a bit of sadness in his eyes.
The Intriguing Premise
While at a book signing, Mike gets a postcard from the Dolphin Hotel with a note warning him not to stay in room 1408. Intrigued by this, Mike decides to go and check this hotel out and see what it is all about. It is here that he meets the hotel manager who is played by Samual L Jackson. The hotel manager tries to talk him out of it, explaining that there have been over 50 deaths over the years and no one has ever lasted more than an hour in room 1408.
The Horrors of Room 1408
Mike is not buying this at all and is sure that it is some kind of gimmick so despite trying to be talked out of it, he demands to stay in room 1408. Mike takes out his little tape recorder and starts making notes about the room, thinking it is “normal” at first, but it does not take long for room 1408 to start showing its true horrific colors. He sees some pretty messed up stuff!
A Gripping Performance
I love the way that the room not only messes with Mike by showing him past guests, it also dives into his past trauma and it is pretty hard to watch. John Cusack is a great actor, but this is one role where I feel he deserves way more credit than he gets! He carries 99 percent of this movie on his own and his performance is so captivating, he makes you feel like you are there living this hell with him.
Multiple Endings for Extra Fun
Even though I know what is going to happen, I always have fun watching 1408. If you like the movie, I highly recommend that you track down the 2-disc Blu-Ray so that you can see the different endings. To this day I like the Directors Cut ending that is on the Blu-Ray as the main one best. This is one movie that I would love for one of the boutique companies to make an all-out 4K set of that is packed with extra features.
