Doctor Sleep Movie Review : A Worthy Successor to a Horror Classic

Doctor Sleep Review: Dan ‘Danny’ Torrance (Ewan McGregor) was just five years old when he discovered he has the ‘shine’, a mysterious power which enables him to communicate with others who share the same telepathic ability. Danny used this skill to escape the Overlook Hotel when his father suffered a mental breakdown and nearly killed Danny and his mother. Almost four decades later, Danny now suffers from alcohol addiction, as he tries to suppress the trauma of those harrowing memories. But when a young girl Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran) begins to connect with him, Danny must finally confront the demons of his past.

In an age of sequels, it should come as no surprise that a follow up to one of the most seminal horror films of all time is being released. But this is no mere cash grab; in 2013, Stephen King wrote the novel ‘Doctor Sleep’ as a sequel to his book ‘The Shining’. Still, it’s a daunting task for director Mike Flanagan to pay tribute to the 1980 film based on that book, along with its director Stanley Kubrick, while adapting King’s bestseller as well. Fortunately, Flanagan has proved his mettle in the horror genre with his previous films, and it shows. He pays meticulous attention to character development above all else, which reaps rewards as the plot plays out. There are practically no jump scares, and yet, his screenplay keeps you engaged, with ample suspense through the film’s two-and-a-half-hour run-time.

Besides the writing, the acting is near perfect. Ewan McGregor captures the pain of a man who was almost killed by his father. Rebecca Ferguson creates a menacing adversary in Rose the Hat, leader of the True Knot cult. Cliff Curtis, as Dan’s friend Billy Freeman, is endearing. However, Kyliegh Curran makes her presence felt as Abra Stone, who morphs from an innocent outcast to a young girl whose powers are to be reckoned with. In tune with that thought, there are several touching moments where death is contemplated in tender ways, but then the tempo shifts into high gear for the ghastlier, grittier scenes. This is evident in the grand finale, which could easily pander to fans, but instead pays homage to the mythology of the original. Granted, this reflective horror flick isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoyed 'The Shining', you'd undoubtedly find this to be a worthy successor.

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