1408 (2008)

- written January 2009

Summary: A skeptical writer Mike Enslin writes books evaluating supernatural phenomena in hotels, graveyards and other haunted places, and always debunking the mysteries. While writing his last book, he travels from Los Angeles to New York to spend one night in the room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel, which is permanently off-limit for guests. The manager Mr. Olin objects to this and offers other options. After they each play hardball, Mike will get into the room. But will he ever get out?           Overall: I was liking this movie for much of the first hour or so. It was creepy, interesting, building to a nice threshold. And then it just all went to hell. Pretty much from the moment he gets out of the room with the ex-wife, it was over for me. I read how the book went and it didn’t give us the same cheesiness we have here with this detour. The film ends as it should but it just went off the reservation with the detour. And it lasted a good 20 minutes, way longer than it should have. The book, obviously much better and that’s the way it should stay. Skip the movie, get the short story!           Comparison: Bourne Ultimatum meets Ghostbusters

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