Too many bumps in the night

10 April 2012

Stephen King may be a master of suspense, but the films adapted from his work have frequently been dim. This one, from Mikael Håfstrom, is better than many - but still not quite up to the mark.

It stars John Cusack as Mike Enslin, a well-known horror novelist who doesn't believe in the supernatural. His agnosticism may be based on the death of his daughter and the split from his wife that followed.

His method is to sleep in haunted rooms, conduct a few cursory experiments and then live to tell the tale. But when he checks into New York's Dolphin Hotel and asks to rent the notorious Room 1408, the manager (Samuel L Jackson) refuses to let him. Enslin insists - and comes to regret it.

The door closes behind him and he can't open it. A window shuts on his hand. A radio suddenly blares. Much, much worse is to follow, as Håfstrom calls on the special-effects department to provide the support.

I can't say that 1408 is particularly frightening since all sense of veracity has gone down the plughole long before its conclusion. But it does provide a swingeing ghost story with all the trimmings, and the initial contest between the insouciant Cusack and the quietly determined Jackson is a pleasure.

Otherwise you leave the film once again feeling that Stephen King is either not quite as good as his reputation or that most film-makers can't replicate the subtleties of his style.

1408
Cert: 15

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