User reviews

The ever-beautiful Rebecca Ferguson and a favorite from the Fargo series, Zahn McClarnon team up to bring us some somewhat scary, but more so eerie/creepy moments in this adaptation of King's Doctor Sleep. For the most part, and with the help of Ewan McGregor who plays an alcoholic, grown-up version of The Shining's Danny Torrence, they pull it off.

While Doctor Sleep is a rather drawn-out and, mostly, slowish-moving film, it still has enough to it, to not lose one's attention. The story-line is solid and engaging, although those unfamiliar with the book and looking for outright horror and gore, will find little satisfaction. There are a couple of scenes which can be construed as "horrific", but in my opinion, Doctor Sleep is not really a "horror flick" by definition. To me, it is more like an intense drama about good vs evil, with a couple of well-done 'end-of-life' scenes thrown in. :)

What I most enjoyed about it, is that in this day and age where practically every story ever has already been made into a movie, this one's plot was just a bit off the beaten path and came across as slightly new and original in its approach, while still pretty seamlessly tying it in to the well-known classic: The Shining.

If I had to add one con, it would be a somewhat minor one, in that, at times, the girl who plays Abra (Kyliegh Curran), who also possesses 'the shining', and who can communicate with Danny, delivers her lines in almost a stone-like manner, and at other times as if she is rapidly reading. It occurred one too many times, and I found that it took me out of the movie for just a bit.

While good, the scenes leading up to the ending are a bit predictable, and the 'showdown' (remember, good vs. evil) leaves a little to be desired. For the most part, however, I can live with it, seeing as Rebecca Ferguson saves it by just being in it, and King and the creators do their best to come full circle. In short, like the entire film itself, it is satisfying-enough to where one can feel as if watching it, was time well spent.

If you are going into this film expecting it to be a straight up sequel to the Kubrick film with the same horror tone, you'll be disappointed, however if you have an open mind, this movie is very well directed and acted and the story is very compelling. This is more of a fantasy thriller than a horror film and I really like that about this film. It also does quite a bit of homage to the 1980 film, but takes it into a new and interesting direction with a deep underlying theme direct from Steven King.

This is easily one of the better film adaptations of a Stephen King novel, and also one of the better films I've seen this year. Yet again, professional film critics have proven they mostly have no idea about the cinema of the fantastic (fantasy, SF, and horror). If you're a fan of the genre, you'll love this film - ignore the critics.

Great job Mike Flanagan.

I don't know what's going on with movies lately, I have high expectations and films suck, or in this case, my expectations were fairly low, and I was blown away.

What a truly worthy follow up to The Shining this was. Almost forty years on, it captures the tone, spirit and vibe of that great film.

You'd think at over two and a half hours it would be overlong, it isn't,that running time allows the complex story to be told, and for the characters to be fully developed.

Young Kyleigh Curran is remarkably good, and in great company with Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson, very well acted.

A great start, with that amazing music, and those glorious panoramic shots. It takes time before you arrive at that destination, the one we all waited for. The recreation is remarkable.

All those involved, take a bow, this was outstanding, 9/10.

Finally got to see my most anticipated film of the year and I'm happy to tell you it's everything I wished for and more. Flanagan has done an amazing job adapting the book from Stephen King and giving lovers of the Kubrick film adaptation of "The Shining" (1980) a cinematic sequel. Now i read the book and while I enjoyed it for the most part, I found parts of it underwhelming. I feel in this film adaptation, Flanagan takes elements from the novel and manages to make them more darker and serious which in turn really helped address some issues I had with the book. He does make some serious changes though and while I embraced them I'm not sure how others who read the book will feel about them. "The Shining" (1980) to me and I'm sure a lot of you, is a masterpiece in filmmaking. I for one prefer it over the novel and with this film, it most certainly feels like a sequel to Stanley Kubrick's version and a love letter to that film. The last 30 mins or so are absolutely amazing and kudos to Flanagan for pulling it off. Ewan McGregor does a great job as an adult Danny Torrance and Rebecca Ferguson captivates as Rose the Hat. The film sets a great tone with some stunning visuals and the score completely grabs you. How much you enjoy this film really depends on what you want out of it. There's practically no gore here and no cheap jump scares. What you'll get though is expert filmmaking from someone who you can tell really loves the source material he's pulling it all in from. Everything struck a balance for me that I was tremendously pleased with, top horror film of the year.

Flanagan's film needed to be made, and Shining fans will applaud the effort. We really wanted this one to blow us away. At many times in the film, however, I felt the project would have benefited from having a strong and independent story and script editor cut out the too frequent fluff and veering off into language and timing best left in King's book. Too many of the characters were simple devices and lacked depth. In fact, the film, as a whole, too often seemed flat.

Rebecca Ferguson's "Rose The Hat" character seemed to, again, lack depth and often appears to be a fanboy's forbidden crush complete with dangerous curves, a magic hat and colorful braids rather than a nearly immortal, child-killing, soul-sucking banshee. Her minions seem oddly cliche. Kyleigh Curran held her own, but seemed a bit out of her depth - not surprising for a child - but this is what director's and coaches are for. Ewan McGregor was fine - but not particularly compelling, and who could expect him to carry the whole picture?

It's difficult - nearly impossible one could say - to create a successful sequel when significant portions of the sequel recast the original roles and try to recreate original scenes. My advice would have been - for the sake of a moving picture show - to avoid those visual mine fields altogether no matter now much Stephen King asked for it. Pick up the story with adolescent, then adult Danny and let mother, father and the original film be classic misty memories that stand alone. Build on them as they lay.

Overall, good effort that had potential, but you should have re-edited and "killed your darlings" before the final cut.

Now if you were not aware of the Original (don't be condescending if possible, not everyone can know all the movies), this is a good reason to (re)visit it - no pun intended! It will stay with you once seen and it will set the field for this sequel, which some might feel comes way too late, but than again, when should it have come out? The timing is quite good I'd say.

I'd also say that the movie is quite good. I know some will disagree and will not like this at all for various reasons. Try not to expect a copy of the Shining. This is paying tribute, by also being differently when it comes to certain scares, to the story and more.

I have not read the source material this is based on, but it does a good job for those who've seen the Shining and treads the story with enough respect. There are holes in the story and flaws in the telling - but overall this is entertaining and scary enough to be more than just a decent viewing

As far as Stephen King adaptations go, Mike Flanagan's DOCTOR SLEEP undoubtedly has to count among the small - but distinct - group of excellent ones. For a director to achieve this is a rare feat - as any Stephen King fan can sadly attest to after dozens of mediocre to downright terrible adaptations over the last four decades - and what's even more impressive is that it marks the second time Flanagan managed to pull this off, since he already knocked it out of the park with his Netflix adaptation of King's previously considered to be unfilmable novel GERALD'S GAME.

Now the reason why those two films work so well is actually quite simple: like Frank Darabont and Rob Reiner before him, Flanagan gets that the most intriguing aspect of King's stories is not the horror. He's the rare director adapting a story by the writer who gets that it's not the supernatural, not the gory thrills or creeping chills that make those books so immersive and so well loved (though of course those are elements that we King fans also greatly enjoy): it's the meticulous worldbuilding and the deeply human characters.

King's novels - and Dr. Sleep is no exception - are so immersive because they're usually less about the horror itself and much more about the journeys he sets his characters on in confronting that horror, the world they inhabit and the people they meet along the way - and the strong bonds and friendships they forge. So in order for the adaptations to work on screen, it's crucial to retain the warmth and the humanity the writer infuses his protagonists with. The director's cut of DOCTOR SLEEP (which is the only cut I've seen), perfectly captures that aspect of King's writing. It has that special "King tone" - for lack of a better word - which so rarely survives the Hollywood treatment of his works.

My only - minor - gripe is that Flanagan focused his considerable talent on what I consider to be a somewhat mediocre book. If latter-day King is what he had to choose from, I wish he had picked BAG OF BONES or DUMA KEY instead, as his storytelling instincts would have been perfectly suited for both of those (admittedly also flawed) novels. There's some great stuff in there that could make for fantastic, haunting, beautifully Gothic genre films if a writer/director with Flanagan's old-school approach to storytelling and deeply humanist sensibilities were to tackle it.

But never mind my nitpicking; DOCTOR SLEEP is a treat for King fans as well as genre fans in general, and it's a shame it wasn't a bigger success at the box office. The movie is beautifully photographed, the cast - especially Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran and Zahn McClarnon - are wonderful, and the deliberate pacing works perfectly for the story. So let's give it up for Mike Flanagan (who's apparently already busy adapting King's Lovecraftian novel REVIVAL); in the absence of Rob Reiner and Frank Darabont, he's perhaps the greatest hope for us King fans.

What a surprise... That wasn't so bad actually! Now, hear me out. When I first saw the previews for this I felt disappointed by the visual look of the film, as it was all too green-tinted and lacked the Kubrick-esque framing I want from a film like this (it being a sequel to "The Shining" after all). Remember, I care too much about the visual aesthetics of these things sometimes. Especially when it was clearly supposed to connect right to the iconic classic. The green tint stays throughout the film, much to my displeasure. Worked great in "Joker" though. But once I got what the story was and paid attention I realized I was getting invested. This is a different type of film while still remembering to pay huge amounts of respect to the legacy of the original. Once you do get to the elements that carry over from Kubrick's film it felt well earned. Interestingly enough they kind of blend well together too eventually. We delve into the supernatural aspects of what Stephen King was going after in his book, and that's completely fine. I don't mind a chilling spookie once in a while. Recently I've felt done with most of the modern day horror film tropes, so it's such a shock for me to say that I had a good time with "Doctor Sleep".

The progression of where Danny Torrance's character goes to is a natural right step. They go for the 'father like son' kind of thing, and I was completely onboard with it. The ghost of Jack Nicholson's presence looms strongly over the story too, with Danny fearing not to follow his father's footsteps. The new story elements were able to grab my attention as well. Again, as soon as it clicked what type of plot/movie this was, then it worked. It's its own thing, and that's great. No "Shining" remake - except for some re-created imagery (handled with nice respect) - But most importantly: The story and characters moved forwards. Loved what they did with the character Rose the Hat. What a sinister yet oddly charming antagonist portrayed hypnotically by Rebecca Ferguson. Hope she gets the deserved credit. Ewan McGregor will always be Obi-Wan to me, but he was a fantastic choice to play Danny. He can convincingly make me believe that he's got the 'shine'. It surprises me how positive I feel about the movie! It's a neat little companion piece to the classic. Again, big props for them to go for their own thing. This is no "Force Awakens", if you know what I mean. You'll walk though memory lane here for sure. The difference is that it doesn't rely on the nostalgia to tell their story. It actually stands on its own. I'll say that if you're a big fan of the original, then it's worth taking a looksie

It deserves a good rating because besides its slightly average story(imo), they still managed to make me watch the full 3 hours in one sitting without feeling bored for a minute and enjoying it. Good camera work too.

While I don't consider it a masterpiece, I did enjoy the classic Kubrick rendition of The Shining, and I understand why it has the fan base it does. Seeing the trailer for Doctor Sleep and discovering Ewan McGregor was playing an adult Danny Torrance, I thought the concept might be interesting.

Everyone acts fantastic in this film. I thought Ewan McGregor built a very nice character. If I had imagined how Danny might have turned out after the first film ended, I don't think I would have predicted it much different. There are a few intense moments with the villains (Primarily Rose the Hat and Snakebite Andi) that made me absolutely hate them (which is a good thing). I think the things they do in the film would make anyone want them to see a terrible fate.

I found myself smiling at the call-backs to the classic movie, and when Danny returns to the Overlook Hotel. It's been a while since I've said to myself "Oh wow, there it is" that many times at a film. I will say there are a couple scenes at the Overlook that feel like they were written in to make the fan base happy rather than be part of the story, but nothing that drags on too long.

As far as it being a scary film, you may jump a few times, and some scenes are a little disturbing, but by Stephen King standards, it's more of a suspense film.

An advantage I'll give this film over The Shining is that even though the film is two and a half hours, it doesn't get boring. Not that The Shining was boring, but it is a very slow film. Stanley Kubrick loved to throw in very long shots in his films, and while I personally think they worked sometimes, other times they were excessive, and in The Shining, they were excessive to me.

I think this film is at least worth a watch whether you're a fan of the Kubrick film or not, because it's sort of it's own film in a way. It shows enough of the classic film to have a connection, but also has a story different enough and good enough to hold it's own.

I didn't have a ton of expectations going into this movie but I thoroughly enjoyed The Shining (like much of the human population) so I was expecting a good continuation of the original story line. Overall I think Mike Flanagan was able to deliver. The way the movie was filmed and edited really exemplified a typical horror movie. Doctor sleep includes a constant mist in the settings, there are a lot of dramatic slow panoramic shots, and the music is eerie and impactful. The acting is pretty decent but in my opinion Rebecca Ferguson absolutely shined as Rose the Hat. Ferguson put in so much emotion into her character and her expressions throughout the movie were just so unsettling, it was pure perfection. I didn't find Doctor Sleep to be very scary I might classify it as more thriller, there were a few jump scares and a few shots disgusted me but nothing really shook me to my core, which is fine. Overall as an avid fan of horror movies and King I enjoyed this movie a lot and might even say it's one of the best horror movies of the year.

Danny Torrance (from "The Shining") is a grownup alcoholic adult (Ewan McGregor) that has fought his demons along his life and used his abilities to lock them up in boxes in his brain. He joins an AA group, moves to another town and befriends Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis). Meanwhile a dangerous group of predator creatures led by Rose The Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) hunt down people that "shine" like Danny to feed with their steam and remain immortal. When Dan knows the powerful girl Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), he decides to protect her from the predators.

"Doctor Sleep" is a dramatic fantasy film that uses the adult life of Danny Torrance from Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece "The Shining" in a full of action story that slightly recalls "Near Dark". Rebecca Ferguson and her costumes with the hat is gorgeous and stylish. If the viewer expects a sequel of "The Shining" of even a horror movie, he or she will be disappointed. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Doutor Sono" ("Doctor Sleep")

...mike Flanagan GETS IT. He feels it. Few people can translate this well from an original tale within a tale within a tale. YOU certainly can't! If your heart doesn't beat to the soundtrack, and you don't feel those happy goosebumps several times during the film, then, history is lost on you. After seeing this movie, you may have an awakening of sorts... and see the world's periphery in a new light...with details you may not have noticed before. At least that's what I hope for every person who gets a chance to enjoy this truly unique and amazing cinematic experience!

In this follow-up to the shining (1980) , Dan Torrance, well played by Ewan McGregor meets the evanescent Abra Stone, who holds a spectacular gift , the brightest shining ever seen . Years following the events of The Shining (1980), a now-adult Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) must protect a young girl , Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran) with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot led by Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) , who prey on children with powers to remain immortal . Like Dan , like Abra have psychic powers seeing horrific forebodings from the past and of the future . As Torrance meets Stone who reignites Dan's own demons and summons him to a deadly battle against a supernatural enemy . Eventually , all of them head to the isolated hotel Overlook . A new chapter from Stephen King, author of 'The Shining'. The World will Shine Again. Dare to go back. The next chapter in The Shining story.

Sequel to The Shining , one of the best horror movies ever made that displayed exceptional performance by Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance and stunningly directed by Stanley Kubrick . Doctor Sleep (2019) pays tribute to The Shining , including some flashbacks with Shelley Duvall and son Danny Lloyd and other frames from the terrifying hotel . It is set years after the traumatizing events of The Overlook Hotel , Dan Torrance is an adult person and a drunkard struggling to find a job , moving to a small town in New Hampshire and becomes "Doctor Sleep", as he then meets Abra Stone , a teenager with the brightest shine he's ever seen and both of whom join forces against a merciless enemy. Doctor Sleep (2019) is today regarded as one of the best terror movies of the 2000s . Interesting and twisted script by director Mike Flanagan himself based upon the novel by Stephen King ; however , regarding the former ¨The Shining¨ whose novel the film was based , King reportedly didn't like Kubrick's adaptation . The director Flanagan keeps things at a snail's pace , but he carries out scary moments and amazing scenes . Ewan McGregor's performance approaches high levels as well as the adequate support cast . And Steadicam operator accomplished many eerie and well edited sequences from corridors , rooms , saloons and garden labyrinth .

It contains a creepy and frightening musical score by The Newton Brothers , as well as evocative and colorful cinematography by cameraman Michael Fimognari .The motion picture was well directed by Mike Flanagan . Mike frequent uses flashbacks to characters' traumatic events, usually involving the supernaturally-assisted death of at least one parent . Terror expert Flanagan turned to the horror genre for the first time with "Oculus", an applauded short film that is just the beginning of an ambitious horror anthology, which eventually became the inspiration for his 2013 feature film of the same name. In 2010, after raising funds on Kickstarter, he wrote and directed the applauded indie horror film "Absentia," which he credits with establishing his career. "Absentia," shot for 70k in Flanagan's apartment, led to "Oculus" (2014) and "Before I Wake" (2015) and ¨Ouija : Origin of evil¨. Flanagan's critically acclaimed "Hush" (2016) was released exclusively on Netflix, which led to the online streaming service producing Flanagan's adaptation of Stephen King's "Gerald's Game" (2017) . Rating Doctor Sleep (2019): 7/10 . Wel worth watching . Overall just decent supernatural effort.

Although considered a timeless horror classic by both critics and audiences alike, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (1980) remains famously loathed by Stephen King to this day. Despite the authors widely recognised disappointment with Kubrick's interpretation of his novel, the film has stood the test of time as one of horror cinema's greatest achievements. In 2013, King released a follow-up novel, Doctor Sleep, which provides the basis for Flanagan's latest King adaptation (his second following 2017's Gerald's Game) starring McGregor as a middle-aged Danny Torrance, still haunted by the traumatic events that took place at the malevolent Overlook Hotel decades ago. While regularly attending AA meetings, Danny secures a job at a hospice where he comforts dying patients with a little help from his supernatural abilities, soon acquiring the title of Doctor Sleep as a result of his unorthodox methods. Meanwhile, a group of quasi-immortals operating under the moniker True Knot seek to drain the steam from within supernaturally gifted children who 'shine', just like Danny, in order to retain their youth.

Enter Mike Flanagan (Oculus (2011), The Haunting of Hill House (2018)) who was burdened with the insurmountable task of not only crafting an adaptation that King himself would be proud of, but also a sequel that would impress fans of Kubrick's acclaimed original. Flanagan, who stands as one of modern horror's most prominent writer/directors right now, strikes a perfect balance with Doctor Sleep. It is a film that establishes itself as a completely different beast to Kubrick's film, while also drawing just enough influence from what's come before to please die-hard fans of what Kubrick established with his own vision. Ewan McGregor is well cast as a damaged Danny Torrance, but it's Rebecca Ferguson's captivating performance as Rose the Hat, the enigmatic leader of the True Knot, that steals the show. Fuelled with malevolence, Ferguson's deranged antagonist serves as one of Doctor Sleep's most exciting performances, and she's an absolute joy to watch. Kyliegh Curran also turns in a solid performance as Abra, a gifted young girl who shares a telepathic connection with Danny.

As is often the case with Flanagan's work, jump scares are practically non-existent. Instead, Flanagan focuses on atmosphere and tension to elevate the sequences of terror. During a grueling sequence that displays the True Knot's ability to drain children of their shine, Flanagan chooses not to hold back from depicting a scenario that will undoubtedly unease the most hardened of viewers. Stylistically speaking, Flanagan often channels Kubrick's visionary flairs to replicate certain shots that pay homage to the original film. Although both films are totally different from one another, Doctor Sleep serves as a terrific companion piece to the 1980 classic that fans of both Kubrick and King can appreciate. It's certainly an exciting journey with instances of some amazing cinematography (a sequence involving Rose scouring the night sky is a particularly captivating, dream-like moment), and Flanagan's screenplay is brilliantly paced, completely engrossing, and never dull. Doctor Sleep stands as the best Stephen King adaptation to be released this year, and one of the better horror efforts, too. Simply put, Doctor Sleep truly shines.

'Doctor Sleep', written and directed by Mike Flanagan in 2019 is a 'sequel'. It takes, I think, a significant dose of audacity (not to say chutzpah) to make a sequel to one of the most famous and best-made horror thrillers in the history of cinema - 'The Shining' created by Stanley Kubrick in 1980. The risk of comparisons with a high level standard is obvious. At the same time the film is an adaptation of Stephen King's novel, which is in turn a sequel to the book on which Kubrick's film was based. 'The Shining' was a summit meeting between Kubrick's creativity and Jack Nicholson's madness. Mike Flanagan did not have the courage to stray far enough from King's novel (who disliked the first movie) as Kubrick had done and to replace elements of popular culture with ambiguity and pure horror. Trying to combine too many genres, borrowing characters and sets from Kubrick's film, but remaining too faithful to the story in King's novel, Flanagan made a reasonable movie but one which is far from the depth and thrill of the original.

Dan Torrance, the kid from 'The Shining', survived a childhood haunted by ghosts, but he seems to miss his life until he meets good people to lead him on the right path of a (too) normative existence. As a job, he uses his powers to soothe the last moments of the terminaly sick elders in a hospital. In his free time, he enters into telepathic communication with a teenager girl with similar powers and visions. When she notices the serial murders of a gang of - let us call them - vampires who prolong their lives by ritually and sadistically killing children with similar powers and absorbing their 'shining', the two have no choice but to meet and to act together to destroy the forces of darkness. The problem is that everything that was metaphoric at Kubrick (starting with 'the shining') becomes explicit graphics in Flanagan's film. From a well-constructed, deep but subtle horror world we are thrown into a film that would belong to the genre 'teenagers vs. vampires' if it was not populated with violent graphic scenes that restrict the audiences to whom I would recommend this film.

Ewan McGregor is the right choice for the role of Dan Torrence 39 years after 'The Shining' and the too idealized elements of his character cannot be attributed to him but to the script. The two female characters are real revelations. Rebecca Ferguson is Rose the Hat, a character who at first seems out of Lewis Caroll's writings but who turns out to be one of the most successful incarnations of sexy and evil witches I've seen on screen lately. I don't like the roles of children or teenagers in movies that I wouldn't recommend to children and teenagers, but I can't help but notice the extraordinary role of Kyliegh Curran, a teenage actress with a remarkable personality and expressiveness, who I hope will grow into an outstanding mature actress. The last part of 'Doctor Sleep' recreates the sets and characters from 'The Shining' and from a visual point of view it looks very good. In general, the story has rhythm and fluency. I believe that the film will please many fans of the genres that Mike Flanagan mixed in the production pot, but Kubrick's admirers can't help but notice that it's closer to the popular culture of Stephen King's novels and to the scripts of most of the movies which they inspired rather than the subtlety and depth of Stanley Kubrick's films. Flanagan is not Kubrick, nor is the film industry of 2019 the same as in 1980.

Director Mike Flanagan had an unfathomable task. To both adapt a Stephen King novel, which is no easy achievement considering his uniquely descriptive writing style, and provide a sequel to what many describe as "the greatest horror film of all-time". Quenching the thirst of King's avid readers and cinephiles alike. So even without divulging my own opinion on Doctor Sleep, applause must be given for just producing this feature. That, unfortunately for Flanagan, doesn't result in myself excusing specific inexcusable filmmaking tendencies that taint, not just Doctor Sleep, but various decaying intellectual properties that have been unnecessarily drudged up again.

An alcoholic scarred Dan Torrance, having endured the irrevocable dangers of the Overlook Hotel ('The Shining'), has his peace shattered when he encounters a young extrasensory girl whom is being hunted down by shine-draining monsters.

First and foremost, I have not read the novel, although this should not come as a surprise. I have however, watched 'The Shining' multiple times. Now, what promotes the aforementioned horror as the best of its kind, is legendary Stanley Kubrick using the essence of King's novel and essentially making his own iteration of it. One that the renowned supernatural writer still, to this day, has mixed emotions for. So for Flanagan to introduce some faithful interpretations of Doctor Sleep, whilst maintaining the cinematic endeavour that Kubrick meticulously crafted, is as I said, unfathomable. And there's a perfectly valid reason for that. The overtly supernatural strands of the novels do not complement the genesis of terror from Kubrick's film. Which is why, with great regret, I have to report that Doctor Sleep does not work. It doesn't.

A beastly behemoth that, whilst does stand on its own two legs, relies on heavy-handed storytelling techniques and nostalgia to tackle both mediums that inspired it. In tonality, they are irrefutably different from each other. But before the disappointing third act is tackled, let's address some positives first.

Doctor Sleep is a shining example of depicting childhood trauma and how fragmented coping mechanisms are embedded throughout adulthood. Young Danny imaginatively designs mental traps so that he can hold the starving ghosts from the Overlook in captivity. Yet that wilful mentality does not prevent him from suffering with alcoholism, substance abuse and an insalubrious lifestyle that masquerades the trauma instead of curing it. Thematically, this is powerful, and grants the narrative a solid cohesion throughout. For the first two hours, you subconsciously warm to Danny due to the tormenting fears he has established throughout the two films. He's a pillar of "the shining". McGregor consistently captivated by depicting a fragile mentality through a physically demanding performance, maintaining the entranced demeanour of his younger character.

The first hour, that heavily explained "the shining" and the intentions of the merciless antagonists The True Knot, experienced inconsistent tones due to the mass sprawl of locational change. One minute we're in a sleepy town, the next a woodland area, and then all of a sudden eight years have been and gone. The zippy nature of the editing and bloated exposition resulted in atmospheric terror being abolished. The tension was non-existent, and the imitation of Kubrick's directing style paled in comparison.

Then, the second hour commenced, which is by far one of the strongest acts the year has yet to offer. Flanagan retained a surprisingly dark tone that, was so shocking, forced audience members to leave the auditorium. The mind-space of Abra, a precocious teenager who has "shine", produced a transcendental imaginative battle against Rose the Hat, leader of The True Knot. Ferguson, who portrayed the primary antagonist, was sensational. Equalling the likes of Pennywise as one of the most enthralling King villains ever depicted. Sinister, unrelenting and bordering on near-lunacy. Controlling every scene from just her eyes alone, she enhanced the palpable tension. She made the second act. In fact, she made the film. The interjecting gore and darkness throughout the middling act abruptly astonished me, and settled for a direction that I thought would control the underwhelming first act.

The third act then arrives, and the entire story crumbles much like the Overlook itself. Plagued by an overshadowing sickness that 'The Shining' had produced. Nostalgia. Remember that time where Jack viciously chopped the bedroom door down with an axe? Or that moment where blood came hurtling through the hallways in slow motion? What about Room 237? The introductory swooping camera movement that Kubrick embraced whilst the Torrance's drove to the hotel? The typewriter? Slowly walking up the stairs in a confrontational manner? The snow-covered hedge maze? The twins? No? You don't remember? Flanagan has got you covered. Nostalgia is a powerful tool, yet it must be handled with delicacy. The difference between imitating and homaging is very fine, and unfortunately Flanagan settled for the former.

So much of 'The Shining' is replicated in the third act, scene for scene, that it was a near-identical copy without the textual substance that accompanied them originally. The re-casting of the original actors, despite Essoe bettering Duvall's performance (although not difficult), felt unnecessary. Almost tarnishing 'The Shining' in itself. Danny walking through the dilapidated hallways for ten minutes whilst Flanagan incorporates identical sequences, had no purpose other than to forcefully remind you that this is the sequel. Literarily, it never progresses Danny's character or the plot. Rose the Hat staring at the blood-spewing elevators? Pointless. Danny staring at an axe encased in glass? A suitable nod to its predecessor. Do you see the difference? Between imitation and homage? The third act was littered with falsified copies, preying on the nostalgia of fans. It's uninspired. It's mundane. And it made me a dull boy.

Creatively, Doctor Sleep managed to infuse the very best of its adapted novel and preceding feature, but embellished the very worst techniques when conveying the plot. Psychologically stimulating without installing dread. Extrasensory without testing the senses. Dimly shining amongst King's supernatural adaptations.

Almost four decades ago, Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" not only terrorized audiences, but also sparked plenty of unique reflection and analysis on its remarkable use of suspense as both a cinematic device and a tool for fostering character development of its protagonist, Jack Torrance. The film's impeccable attention to detail has also ensured that it is still studied and well-respected today. As a huge fan of the Kubrick film as well as Ewan McGregor, I was really excited for "Doctor Sleep," but unfortunately, I found it to be a huge letdown.

The plot of this sequel centers around an adult Danny Torrance (McGregor,) working in a clinic in New England while also trying to deal with a severe drinking problem. He must work to defeat an evil cult called the True Knot, led by "Rose the Hat," after a 12-year-old girl who also has the powers of "the shining" gets in its crosshairs. I was never expecting this film to top the genius of Kubrick, but Mike Flanagan seems like a talented director who wanted to really honor the source material, so I was hoping for it to at least try to be meaningful.

The first major problem with the film is its tedium. While the pace of "The Shining" was slow, it was slow in a great way, as in "slow-burn to build up maximum suspense and dramatic tension." On the other hand, "Doctor Sleep" just feels tedious. Large stretches of the film pass by with virtually no keyp lot or character development not explored in other scenes, and the film feels repetitive and like it's going nowhere after a while until we get close to the climax. The film also lacks the genuine suspense and tension of the original, since this tediousness impedes on any sense of impending dread. I also feel that the more sprawling narrative of this story as opposed to "The Shining" may have been somewhat detrimental to its sense of tension. It also lacks the psychological fear of "The Shining." Even though the True Knot and its followers are creepy, attempts to build up a real sense of terror around them generally fall flat. Ewan McGregor tried his best, but his performance is unfortunately rather bland and very limited in range. The only real positive of the movie is that it's fun to see the Overlook Hotel again, but the climax still doesn't feel fully satisfying. Not recommended. 4/10

If you're a fan of Stephen King's style of writing, then there's a good chance you'll really enjoy Doctor Sleep, which is one of the most King-ian (or is that 'King-esque'?) screen adaptations of his work that I have seen in a long time, the film brimming with atmosphere and memorable characters, with all the little idiosyncrasies that make King's books so special. Hell, it's even got a weak finalé (lifted from King's original novel of The Shining, but never featured Kubrick's film).

Ewan McGregor (proving to me that he CAN still act after I had almost written him off) plays Dan Torrance, all grown up, womanising, getting wasted and doing his best not to 'shine'. Travelling to a small New Hampshire town, Dan meets Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis), who gives the 'lost soul' a chance to turn his life around, securing him a job at a local hospice. It is there that Dan earns the nickname Doctor Sleep because of his uncanny ability to comfort the patients at their moment of death. He must use the full range of his powers, however, after teenager Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran) contacts him telepathically, warning him of a ancient tribe of people called The True Knot, who feed on those who shine, sucking up the 'steam' produced when their victims experience pain and suffering. Combining his abilities with those of Abra, Dan eventually confronts Rose The Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), leader of The True Knot, at his old 'haunt', The Overlook Hotel, where he introduces her to some familiar faces.

Director Mike Flanagan (Gerald's Game) provides plenty of nods to the original Shining movie plus lots of impressively mounted scenes of his own devising (the murder of a little leaguer is genuinely disturbing and Rose's astral projection scene is stunningly executed), and he manages to hold the viewer's interest throughout despite a whopping three hour run-time and a measured pace. The build-up is so well-crafted that, when the final show-down arrives, it cannot help but feel a little anti-climactic (with the destruction of The Overlook being rather contrived). That said, as a whole this is a very admirable sequel to a much-loved horror classic and well worth checking out.