[The_Return]

I wasnt impressed at all...I'm actually really surprised so many of you liked it, especially you Alky.

Here's a review that I wrote for another site:

Well, I just got back from seeing the new Stephen King flick, 1408. King can be a cool writer, John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson usually do a good job and the trailers looked interesting enough, so I was kind of looking forward to it. Aside from some cool set pieces and a decent over-the-top performance from Cusack, 1408 really isn't anything special.

The plot is typical King fare....burnt out writer (Cusack) checks into a supposedly haunted hotel room. The hotel manager (Sam Jackson, still the eternal badass) tries to persuade him to leave by explaining the gruesome history of the room (1408, the film's namesake), but Cusack decides to stay anyway (what else we you expecting?). Things start out normal enough, but things soon start spiraling out of control.

The movie really doesnt have much going for it. The thrills are either nonexistent or have already been spoiled by the trailer, the plot is incredibly predictable, and Cusack plays one of the most pathetic characters ever to carry a horror movie. He starts out decent enough: overly skeptical, a little burnt out...exactly what you'd expect. Despite coming off as king of the cynics, after about 5 minutes in the room, following a couple of eerie but easily explained occurrences, he's reduced to a pathetic, petrified baby. Cusack does a pretty good job with what he's given, but the character is so poorly written that he really doesnt have alot to work with.

The movie is essentially just an excuse to string together a bunch of relatively cool set pieces. I'll admit that the effects are pretty good for the most part, but as much as I like "fluff" entertainment I wish this movie had some kind of substance holding it together.

Overall it's an overlong, pointless and poorly written effort that winds up being more of a disappointment than a truly awful movie. Dont get me wrong, 1408 is far from the worst movie I've ever seen, and there are certainly worse ways to spend a couple hours. If you want to see lots of crazy stuff going down in a hotel room and John Cusack going insane, this is the movie for you. But if you're just looking to be entertained, go see Rise of the Silver Surfer instead...both are pretty mindless, but RotSS manages to be alot of fun, while this just comes off as pointless.