Take another trip to the Overlook Hotel in Doctor Sleep.
The sequel to The Shining follows Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor), who still struggles with the trauma from his childhood. His search for peace is interrupted when his meets Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a young girl who also “shines” and in danger.
Despite Stephen King’s personal opinions, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining remains one of the most renowned horror masterpieces of our time — and personally one of my favorite films. It’s tough to imagine a sequel that would do The Shining justice but Doctor Sleep was a surprisingly good time.
Doctor Sleep offers an intriguing narrative with complex themes, chilling moments and great performances. Ewan McGregor does a fanstastic job as usual. He’s such an underrated actor so I’m glad he had an opportunity to take on this iconic character.
Another stand out is Rebecca Ferguson as the terrifying and charismatic Rose the Hat. Yet again, another actor who is underrated. In addition to just being a movie with amazing performance and solid scares, it tackles trauma and addiction in a really rich way.
The film knows it will never be The Shining however it pays respectful homage to it. The similar stunning cinematic sequences, pulse pounding score and “flashback” moments are nostalgia fuel that will make every horror fan giddy.
I will admit, some of the flashbacks were sort of gimmicky. I could have done without a faux Shelley Duvall but here we are.
But gimmicks aside, this is a very original story and worth a watch.
Final Thoughts: It’s no masterpiece like The Shining but Doctor Sleep is worth a shot.
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