'Doctor Sleep' is the tone we want - Joshua's Review

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Read Joshua's review of Doctor Sleep. “Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep” continues the story of Danny Torrance, 40 years after his terrifying stay at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson and newcomer Kyliegh Curran star in the supernatural thriller, directed by Mike Flanagan, from his own screenplay based upon the novel by Stephen King.

Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra, a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the “shine.” Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality. Forming an unlikely alliance, Dan and Abra engage in a brutal life-or-death battle with Rose. Abra’s innocence and fearless embrace of her shine compel Dan to call upon his own powers as never before—at once facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past.

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Doctor Sleep is in theaters on November 8th, 2019.

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40 years after Stanley Kubrick’s original adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining, we’re returning to the Overlook Hotel again. Doctor Sleep, King’s 2013 sequel to his horror classic, has been adapted into a feature film by Mike Flanagan (Gerald’s Game), which has the impossible task of following up Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece.

It definitely felt more Stephen King than Kubrick, though it pretty much has it's hands tied since it has to go back to the Overlook and you can't just not use Kubrick's Overlook. At times I felt some of the recasting of iconic roles felt a little unnecessary. It was weird to see someone other than Jack Nicholson, Shelly Duvall or Scatman Crothers in these role. But I have to say the bar scene did have a lot of the emotional gravitas of the movie. Probably too much old naked lady than is needed, gets a bit funny by the end, but in a way I guess that's the point.

For me the highlight was Rebecca Ferguson as Rose The Hat. Just a straight up evil hippy fashioning herself as this weird free spirit. A lot of comparisons to Pennywise, in how she's a villain who preys on scared children. Generally I preferred Doctor Sleep a lot more than the last It movie.

Most importantly, I don’t think this movie tries to be The Shining. Flanagan isn’t stupid, he knows that would be a mistake. He uses some visual cues (and has to reenact some moments/ settings) but this is more a book adaptation than a sequel. It’s got a very different tone. And I urge you to see it in the cinema! It’s good fun.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Joshua (Contributor) is from Washington, DC. He's a big fan of checking out what's new in theaters, specifically action, comedy, and biopics. In his free time he enjoys playing music with his band, eating good food, traveling and meeting new people.
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