Renowned horror novelist Mike Enslin believes only in what he can see with his own two eyes. But after a string of best-sellers discrediting paranormal events in the most infamous haunted houses and graveyards around the world, he has no real proof of life--afterlife. But Enslin's phantom-free run of long and lonely nights is about to change forever when he checks into suite 1408 of the notorious Dolphin Hotel for his latest project, "Ten Nights in Haunted Hotel Rooms." Defying the warnings of the hotel manager, the author is the first person in years to stay in the reputedly haunted room. Another best-seller may be imminent, but first he must go from skeptic to true believer--and ultimately survive the night.

The cure to the slow downward trend of recent horror movies seems to be evident in 1408, and that cure is too get a story that is well written, well acted and that does not rely on cheap tricks like gore and torture to terrify it’s audience and keep them in suspense. The horror genre has been terrible of late with the introduction of the sub genre of films aptly name Torture Porn, these movies have not suspense, no real story there only purpose is to shock you and disgust you. So who better to reintroduce us back to what horror can be and what it should be than Stephen King. 1408 is based on one of his novella’s and who better than the king of Horror to once again remind us that we do not have to be disgusted, nor shocked to be terrified. The movie doesn’t rely on these cheap tricks to keep you glued to your seat, it uses good ole suspense and drama to do that and that’s what makes it such a great film and one that is so enjoyable.

I will admit I was never really truly scared during the movie, the film was more creepy and eerie that scary but I was thoroughly and completely engrossed in the story though. The film is so suspenseful that you can’t help but be drawn into it’s story as you have no idea where it is going nor how it will end. That is what makes a horror, or suspense movie so good, is not knowing where it is going and what will happen next. The movie even throws in a few good twists to keep you off guard and to keep you guessing. Not to mention how much fun a good old ghost story can be.

One of the movie clever twists is that the main character is a cynical horror writer himself that feels he has seen and wrote about everything that you can see and write about as he has traveled from haunted hotel to haunted graveyard over and over again. The character seems to parallel it’s own author Stephen King so well, who too as admitted to going through a period of writing by rote rather than inspiration. And trust me by the end of the movie Mike Enslin will definitely being writing by inspiration once more which makes you wonder if Stephen King went through the same kind of thing.

John Cusack is one of my all time favorite actors as he just captures the screen and plays the perfect kind of anti-hero, someone who is wallowing in their own life but is still smart and intelligent and able to be insightful throughout. I can’t imagine a better person to play Mike Enslin than John Cusack who through his performance you feel like you are falling down the rabbit hole as well as you delve deeper into his madness and the psychology of a man who no longer believes who is now face to face with what he stopped believing in. That’s the best part of the movie, that psychological trip into madness, not wanting to believe but being forced to do so by the events swirling around you. My only complaint would be the trailer which gives away too much once more, I make a plea to Hollywood execs let audience discover these movies during the course of the movie please rather than during the trailer.

Grade: B+