1408 Great Thriller
Pamela Scott Shelton
July 09, 2007
An opportunity to see not one, but two of my favorite actors in a film is exciting. That was my anticipation when going to see Mikael Hafstram’s new horror/thriller, 1408. The film stars John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson; one has proven himself to my film viewing satisfaction over and over again. The other I always have great hopes in seeing him achieve what I know is an as of yet untapped acting greatness that I want to be “there” to see when it is finally directed out of him. The first is Samuel L. Jackson, whose performance is never a disappointment. Jackson is an actor with such a far reaching range of acting ability that he could walk onto a stage and recite Little Miss Muffett and still deliver an award winning performance. While his acting credits go as far back as the early 1970s, I first became aware of Jackson in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, in character as Jules Winnfield. Like the rest of America, I was completely entertained by this poetic, Bible thumping hit man. Acting alongside John Travolta in character as Vincent Vega, the two were an awesome performance. While I have not seen the complete and extensive body of work that Jackson has acted in, it is fun to know that I have a lot to watch and to catch up on to see his entire repertoire of characters.
In 1408, in character as Gerald Olin, Jackson delivers yet another flawless performance. He is the garnish of a gourmet meal that would otherwise be incomplete and visually inappropriate. Jackson gives a great performance without stealing the show. He was a genius in casting in this role and in this film.
I am equally fond of John Cusack, but I do not believe I have yet seen Cusack deliver the performance that I sense he is capable of delivering as an actor. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised by his performance in 1408. Often times when I see Cusack in a film it is with the anticipation that “this will be it.” The one where he delivers his full range of acting ability that you sense this actor has in him, but have not yet seen him deliver. For that reason alone, because I know Cusack has "that" performance in him, I have not missed a single film in which John Cusack has worked in.
1408, so far, is "the one." It is as close as I have seen Cusack come in delivering the range I am sure he is capable of delivering as an actor. For that, I applaud Mikael Hafstram as a director. In character as Mike Enslin, Cusack is the unshakable, seen it all, believe none of it debunker of haunted hotels and bed and breakfasts that use the "other side" as a way of attracting thrill seeking guests. As the unbelieving debunker Cusack is great, because he has that reserve and cool about him. However, once the cool begins to melt, Cusack gets even better.
1408 is a classic thriller. It teases the imagination and sensational range of the viewer with anticipation, expectation and the delivery of the action in the same way that some of the great directors like Alfred Hitchcock used to deliver during a time when censors made that kind of scare necessary, in contrast to shocking and scaring with gruesome scenes that many horror or thriller films rely on today. 1408 is a mind tease, a gasp of breath in the darkened movie theatre; the best kind of thriller that a movie goer can hope to see.
This one is well worth the price of the ticket and a box of popcorn. Don’t wait for the DVD release, see it now.
In 1408, in character as Gerald Olin, Jackson delivers yet another flawless performance. He is the garnish of a gourmet meal that would otherwise be incomplete and visually inappropriate. Jackson gives a great performance without stealing the show. He was a genius in casting in this role and in this film.
I am equally fond of John Cusack, but I do not believe I have yet seen Cusack deliver the performance that I sense he is capable of delivering as an actor. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised by his performance in 1408. Often times when I see Cusack in a film it is with the anticipation that “this will be it.” The one where he delivers his full range of acting ability that you sense this actor has in him, but have not yet seen him deliver. For that reason alone, because I know Cusack has "that" performance in him, I have not missed a single film in which John Cusack has worked in.
1408, so far, is "the one." It is as close as I have seen Cusack come in delivering the range I am sure he is capable of delivering as an actor. For that, I applaud Mikael Hafstram as a director. In character as Mike Enslin, Cusack is the unshakable, seen it all, believe none of it debunker of haunted hotels and bed and breakfasts that use the "other side" as a way of attracting thrill seeking guests. As the unbelieving debunker Cusack is great, because he has that reserve and cool about him. However, once the cool begins to melt, Cusack gets even better.
1408 is a classic thriller. It teases the imagination and sensational range of the viewer with anticipation, expectation and the delivery of the action in the same way that some of the great directors like Alfred Hitchcock used to deliver during a time when censors made that kind of scare necessary, in contrast to shocking and scaring with gruesome scenes that many horror or thriller films rely on today. 1408 is a mind tease, a gasp of breath in the darkened movie theatre; the best kind of thriller that a movie goer can hope to see.
This one is well worth the price of the ticket and a box of popcorn. Don’t wait for the DVD release, see it now.
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