Doctor Sleep Is Good, But You’ll Need A Nap

Doctor Sleep, based off a Stephen King novel of the same name is at least the third film based off of his work to be released this year. This 531-page novel is a sequel to the classic novel The Shining, following Danny Torrance (played absolutely serviceably by Ewan McGregor), Jack and Wendy’s little boy with a special ability. 

This movie starts shortly after the events of Kubrick’s The Shining. I have read The Shining and watched the film and I do mean what I say when it takes place after the film more than the novel. The aesthetics of this film are very in line with Kubrick’s and considering that the opening title was on the carpet from the Overlook (you know the one, don’t lie) it felt like fan-service. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing but it’s clear that this horror film is banking on some sweet sweet shiny nostalgia. It is not shy about its sequel-ness.  

That’s not to say Doctor Sleep is without its own charms. The tribe of villainous nomads lead by Rose the Hat (played delightfully by Rebecca Ferguson) is an excellent example of what villains can and should be in a horror film. They are looking for steam, a substance secreted by the pain and eventual death of those with the shining.

If you’re not familiar with the intricacies of shining, what it is and how it works I would recommend rewatching The Shining. Don’t watch it the night before though or else all you will do is compare the two films although frankly it’s impossible not to do that anyway. 

The absolute star of this film is Kyliegh Curran, giving the child performance of a lifetime as Abra Stone. I kept waiting for her to come back into the film and was excited to see her whenever she was on screen. This is a challenging lead performance and she positively nailed it. She’s ready for the big leagues and I hope this isn’t the last we see of her. Billy, Danny’s best friend is also played very well by Cliff Curtis — he doesn’t shine but he does have extremely strong empathy. 

From a technical level this film is well shot and edited. The scenes flow beautifully into each other and the ends of scenes hold and fade deliciously on screen. The effects were all delightful and the look-alike casting for Jack and Wendy were spot on while still feeling authentic. 

The tagline of this film “dare to return” however, makes me laugh as the fan service gimmick doesn’t start in earnest until 2 hours into the film. We don’t dare to go back until the tail end. Even then, if you’re a fan of the novel you may get a little frustrated with some big changes that happen in that last half an hour. 

Woven into the last half hour are some wonderful scenes and a mix of cliches that was making me and many of my movie-going companions roll our eyes loudly. I was fully convinced that Doctor Sleep was four hours long by the time the film ended. That’s not a great feeling for a suspense-based horror film. 

Doctor Sleep (Warner Bros., R, 2hrs, 31mins) gets a 3 out of 5.