'1408' Grade: C

Murder and mayhem are the tell-tale signs of a good thriller. Throw in a few creepy kids and maybe a monster or two and you have one of Stephen King's masterpieces. "1408" fits King's horror profile and will have movie-goers on the edge or their seats -- for about an hour. Eventually, the events in room 1408 become too far-fetched, and fans will simply be waiting for the torture of the poor protagonist to end.\nMike Enslin (John Cusack) is a writer who researches places that claim to have paranormal activity, yet he has never found traces of a ghost. But when Enslin insists on entering room 1408 at The Dolphin hotel -- against strong warnings from manager Gerald Olin (Samuel L. Jackson) -- Enslin comes face-to-face with evil incarnate. Witness to 56 deaths, 1408 soon becomes his personal Hell, showing him tortured memories of the past and playing on his innermost fears. \nThe film's fear factor is quite heavy, especially as skeptic Enslin slowly realizes the reality of his own situation. On more than one occasion, the audience will lose its breath as phantoms jump out from behind walls, inexplicable events occur and eerie phone calls push Enslin to the brink of suicide. And the special effects help create a prevailing sense of dread that almost envelopes viewers. \nHowever, as the terror escalates and the script begs for a conclusion, the plot takes leaps that seem to be out of a cheesy straight-to-video horror flick, making the film about thirty minutes too long. When the conclusion finally does arrive, it is both anti-climatic and, ironically, inconclusive (another trademark that, sadly, accompanies films based on King's work). \nIf you're looking for a cheep thrill or a way to get your date to hold onto you for about an hour, "1408" should be on the list of must-see date films. If you're looking for cinematic excellence, skip it.