In 1980, Stanley Kubrick’s psychological horror film The Shining, adapted from the 1977 Stephen King novel, was released. Despite receiving mixed reviews at the time, the film was a box office hit and eventually gained a critical reevaluation. However, King was never happy with the film version, essentially saying it was a good movie but a bad adaptation. Then again, King later made Maximum Overdrive to show how to “do Stephen King right”, though to less-than-stellar results. Years later, King hired director Mick Garris to readapt The Shining as a TV miniseries that’s more faithful than Kubrick’s. Unlike the Kubrick version, the miniseries was initially received positively and won some awards, but retrospective reviews were less favorable. In 2013, King wrote a sequel to the novel, and plans for a film adaptation soon followed through Warner Bros. Six years later, director Mike Flanagan brings us 2019’s Doctor Sleep.
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Years after the incident at the Overlook Hotel, an adult Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) has become an alcoholic. Ever since childhood, he’s occasionally been haunted by the ghosts of the Overlook, particularly a naked old woman. Meanwhile, there’s a group called the True Knot led by a strange woman called Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson). They’re a group of semi-immortal people who feed off the souls of people with powers similar to Danny’s “Shining”. When they kidnap and kill a small child with similar abilities, they’re discovered by young psychic Abra (Kyliegh Curran). Recognizing that she has exceptional powers, Rose and her group works to hunt her down to feast on her soul. Abra ends up inadvertently communicating telepathically with Danny, and he decides to help her fight off the True Knot. It all leads to a final confrontation that leads to where it all started, the Overlook Hotel.
Given the legacy of Kubrick’s The Shining, Doctor Sleep certainly has a lot to live up to. While not as groundbreaking as the 1980 film, this serves as a great companion piece with that film. First off, director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil) once again shows just how talented he is. While some shots are emulating Kubrick’s work, Flanagan directs it in a way that it still stands on its own. Also, rather than going for cheap jump scares, Doctor Sleep relies more so on establishing mood and atmosphere. Ewan McGregor is excellent as a man who’s still haunted by his past that’s seeking redemption and confronting his demons. Rebecca Ferguson steals the show as a mysterious villain who, while evil, still has understandable motivations behind her actions. Also, for a first-time actress, young Kyliegh Curran shows tons of potential and gives a strong performance.
One fear I had going into Doctor Sleep was how much they would rely on references to The Shining. Thankfully, much of that is reserved for the first few minutes and the third act when they revisit the hotel. That means we have two hours to get to know these characters and become attached to them first and foremost. Interestingly enough, rather than mostly using stock footage, they hired new actors to reprise the original’s main characters. While it is somewhat distracting for those familiar with the original, it’s still better than CGI recreations of those actors. Some audiences might be disappointed that this isn’t heavy on scares, but it works thanks to its story and characters. Of the Stephen King movies in 2019, including Pet Sematary and It Chapter Two, this is easily the best one. Overall, Doctor Sleep is a worthy successor to Kubrick’s classic film.
