Wonderfully done. Not perfect but not that bad to see as well.
Technical-wise, cinematography was consistent. Director Mikael Hafstrom wanted the whole film to be tinged with yellow and it was shown throughout the film. Production design was up to par. Especially the room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel in NYC where almost everything happened.
John Cusack’s (Mike Enslin) acting is commendable as well. He did really well especially since the whole film actually centered on him alone and the room he was battling with. Samuel Jackson (Mr. Olin) just appeared for a few moments but was still crucial to the whole story too. And he and John Cusack had some really clever and witty conversations. Especially when John Cusack’s character Mike Enslin was insisting with Mr. Olin (Jackson) that he really wanted to stay in room 1408 and that none of the stories and reports that Mr. Olin was presenting to him would dissuade him from going into that room.
Plot-wise, it was a masterpiece. It would drive you to the brink of insanity just by thinking of what Mike Enslin was going through while staying in the god-forsaken room. Since it was based on Stephen King’s short story from the collection “Everything’s Eventual”, it was definitely bound to be a success. Though the screenplay writers put a bit of a back story to Mike’s life just to play with it a little, it still worked well and was consistent with the original story.
Go watch it and have the ride of your life in an hour with the well known room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel. Why just an hour? Go figure it out. 🙂
Ruth Medina-Ilasco 