Redrum (pictured above) was an integral aspect of the plot of The Shining. Doctor Sleep echoes several key themes from this work while maintaining the original aspects of Doctor Sleep (courtesy of hamza majeed khan).
Few films can beat the unprecedented staying power of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Based on the popular Stephen King novel of the same name, The Shining is lauded as one of the best and most perplexing horror films of all time despite being panned by critics on initial release, King being the most vocal among them.
Director Mike Flanagan opted to take the reins on Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep, a sequel to The Shining, 39 years after the original’s debut. Between trying to please fans of both Kubrick and King, Flanagan has excellently captured the best of both artists in a unique, competently made psychological thriller.
Doctor Sleep follows the hero of The Shining, Danny Torrence—portrayed by Ewan McGregor—as an adult, still traumatized by the sinister events that took place at the Overlook Hotel during his childhood. Danny utilizes his telepathic powers, nicknamed “shining,” to befriend a young girl, Abra Stone—portrayed by Kyliegh Curran—whose shining powers are even more powerful than his own.
Eventually, Abra and Danny must work together to overcome the True Knot, a group of psychics led by Rose the Hat—portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson—who consume children’s energy with the shining in order to keep themselves young and immortal. Between the new threat of the True Knot and the ever-present ghosts from the Overlook Hotel, Danny must confront his past to save Abra’s future.
The film has an astonishing two and a half-hour running time, which may be too long for some viewers. This length is exacerbated by a very slow first act, which follows Danny, Abra and Rose in their own self-contained stories. While some may view the length of this film as a flaw, this first act does a terrific job of introducing key characters and slowly building the stakes that propel the rest of the film.
The terrific performances in the film carry this approach, particularly those of McGregor and Curran. McGregor does a terrific job of portraying a broken and traumatized Danny while giving the character heart and a compelling motivation. Curran gives one of the best child performances since 2015’s Room. She’s incredibly compelling, holding her own and commanding attention on screen even when side by side with acting veterans like McGregor.
While these characters are brought to life through excellent performances, the film’s script also works to develop the story and relationships. Even small moments between characters feel authentic and meaningful thanks to instances of robust dialogue that never feel heavy handed. The film teems with emotional and comedic sequences that make the audience care about the characters before the terror comes into play, even though these aspects are atypical of many big-budget horror movies.
Doctor Sleep remains well executed as the plot begins to take a darker turn. The horror is mostly slow-burn but incredibly tense due to Flanagan’s excellent editing, use of sound and cinematography, which utilizes mostly static, long shots to chill audiences to their cores.
Flanagan knows exactly what to show and what to hide from his audience, which few contemporary directors are able to execute well. Though there are a few bloody, disturbing images used in Doctor Sleep, many scenes cut away at the perfect moment, effectively leaving much of the terror to the audience’s imagination.
Flanagan’s direction is also unique for how he handles fan service. The Shining’s influence on Doctor Sleep is clear enough to be recognizable to anyone who has seen the film at least once. Flanagan does an excellent job of recreating shots, including faithful cameos, and utilizing great production design to capture the feel of the 1980 original film in a way that is deliberate and well done without being too over-reliant. Even when the film eventually snakes its way back to the Overlook Hotel for a jaw-dropping finale, the original story and characters are interesting in their own right.
Doctor Sleep is a case study on how horror sequels should be made. Flanagan creates something truly spectacular with the perfect combination of homage to The Shining and an original, compelling story. The film’s editing, performances and writing create a captivatingly tense viewing experience that is only hampered slightly by long runtime. This weekend, give your typewriters a break, hang up your axes and go see Doctor Sleep.