By: John Hall, Editor in Chief
Doctor Sleep is the film adaptation of Stephen King’s 2013 novel of the same name. It stands as a direct sequel to both the book (1977) and film (1980) The Shining.
The film follows up where the events of the previous left off, about 30 years later. The older Danny Torrance is played by Ewan McGregor, known for Star Wars Episode 1-3 prequels. Danny struggles with the traumatic events of his youth, somewhat embraces the abilities he was given, and tries to lead a normal life by using them to his advantage.
The antagonists of the film are a group of shadowy figures who use “The Shine,” or the good within a person’s dying breath, to stay young. Led by a strong female supporting role, Rebecca Ferguson (Jenny Lind- The Greatest Showman), they provide great on-screen conflict throughout the 2 ½ hour run time.
The cast does a phenomenal job of creating on-screen chemistry as they take more of a psychological approach to the film, as opposed to the dramatic horror-based theme of its predecessor. Doctor Sleep explores wide, relevant themes at play today, such as friendships between people of different classes, addiction, and the important role of active parenting.
The remarkable aspect of the film that continues to be a cause for uproar is the liberty the film takes in not making it the suspenseful horror genre. Most viewers expected to get more jump scares and to see gruesome scenes. They were taken aback by the slow-paced, thought-provoking sequel.
What makes the film work is the fact that suspense is sprinkled throughout the scenes, as the film addresses and fleshes out the details of The Shining that the director (Stanley Kubrick) failed to flesh out. Author Stephen King has gone on record to say how much he abhors the Shining film; however, he allowed this director (Mike Flanagan) to pay homage to the previous film with nods and callbacks to moments and characters.
Despite its new spin on the old tale and a fresh cast of faces, the film has received mixed reviews from critics. As of Nov. 13, the film is maintaining an audience score of 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes’ “tomatometer,” while maintaining an audience score of 89 percent.
Undoubtedly, it is the new take in direction that causes the film to be dubbed “certified fresh.” However, without the star-induced power of Jack Nicholson, the 2019 film does not pay true homage to the 1980 film. Doctor Sleep has hit the snooze button on being a box office hit with its budget of just under 60 million dollars and its earning of the same amount in the three weeks since its release. For valiant efforts and a revitalized story, Doctor Sleep scores a 3.5 Paws out of 5.
