1408 deserves FAR more love from fans of psychological horror

For those who haven't seen it, the premise is a cynical horror writer receives a tip to stay overnight in a NY hotel room.

The way this movie builds a sense of dread is absolutely the best I've seen. Multiple scenes throughout take you from comfortable places and then rip the carpet from underneath when you least expect it, and then re-introduce those elements in a way that's really unsettling. The contrast between the hero who thinks he knows better - and actively trying to figure out the "game" - and the mundane nature of a hotel room being in control is great.

I'll admit I'm a fan of horror that spends most of its time building than actual scares, but there's some shock moments here that I've been thinking about for a decade since I first saw the film.

On top of this, John Cusack absolutely kills the role of a bitter, sarcastic, protagonist, and Samuel L Jackson has a small but strong role as well.

The only weakness I can think of is the very end. I had seen the theatrical cut, which I prefer over the directors original variant, but it's a small gripe.

Submitted August 11, 2020 at 02:49AM by White_Freckles https://ift.tt/2PDWRWL