Doctor Sleep is a 2019 horror thriller set decades after The Shining where an older Danny Torrance has to go against an evil cult led by Rose the Hat.
The Shining is undeniably one of the most beloved and iconic films of all time. It’s known for having a defining performance from Jack Nicholson and highly influential direction by the late Stanley Kubrick, by this time, a full on cultural phenomenon. As we’ve been getting lots of sequels and/or reboots from many series nowadays, it seems inevitable that we’d get this long in the waiting follow-up, Doctor Sleep. It’s written and directed by Mike Flanagan, who adapts Stephen King’s novel of the same name and is a direct sequel to The Shining, incorporating many aspects from the book into the story. It’s no easy task for the director to helm a feature like this, but it shows once again why he’s a one of the best filmmakers working in the horror genre.
Doctor Sleep takes place decades after The Shining, and it focuses on a much older Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor), who is now an alcoholic trying to forget his past and move on with his life. He possesses psychic powers called the “shining”, and he’s apparently not the only one who has these unique abilities. Through telepathy, he eventually starts communicating with a girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran) who is also psychic like him. They both find out that there is an evil cult, led by Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), which feeds on the pain of their young victims who they possess with the “shining”, so they go on an adventure to stop them from torturing other special children.
McGregor is absolutely terrific in the lead role, doing excellent work in portraying an older Danny Torrance. He has experienced some terrifying events at the Overlook Hotel during The Shining, and you completely understand where he’s coming from. Flanagan’s script gives him a compelling arc as the main protagonist, while also showing the audience that he has grown as a person since the first film. Curran has strong chemistry with McGregor, and she most certainly has a bright future ahead of her as an actress. When these two people connect with one another, it’s easy to become invested in their relationship. Ferguson is quite menacing as the main antagonist, and you grow to understand her motivation. The only character who doesn’t stand out is the one played by Emily Alyn Lind, because unfortunately, her presence doesn’t really add anything interesting to the premise.
What’s important to mention though is that you don’t even have to watch The Shining in order to fully understand Doctor Sleep. You can tell that the film is trying to tell its own story rather than always relying on its previous installment. It does have those iconic scenes that you love and remember from its predecessor, but they will either please or irritate you with its fan service. As a slow burn, it really takes its time to develop both the premise and characters in a fulfilling way. The beginning is admittedly a little slow, but you still have to acknowledge that it’s setting up something important for the audience to be immersed in from start to finish. While it is categorized in the horror genre, it’s more of a psychological thriller, the film more suspenseful than scary.
Doctor Sleep is both a brilliant adaptation of King’s book and a fantastic sequel to Kubrick’s The Shining. Flanagan shows why he’s the right guy to take on an ambitious project like this, and it’s yet again another achievement in his filmography. It’s an impressive, thrilling, and compelling piece of cinema.