Walking a tightrope between overt nostalgia picture and standalone film in its own right, 2019’s Doctor Sleep comes to life thirty-nine years after Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining became an instant horror classic loved by almost everyone. . . except by its own author, Stephen King. This time, writer/director Mike Flanagan attempts to appease both sides, a gargantuan task that would could cause almost any talented film maker to crumble under the weighted pressure. . . yet somehow, he is able to stay on that extremely narrow tightrope, building an engaging narrative that should be fun for both hardcore fans and newbies to the so-called franchise.
If The Shining was about addiction, Doctor Sleep looks at the long road back through rehabilitation to sobriety. Sometimes lost in all of the over-the-top craziness coming from Jack Nicholson’s fantastic portrayal of Jack Torrence, his poor son Danny must have had quite the life afterwards. Giving us a bird’s eye view into this character, he is now an alcoholic adult (played by Ewan McGregor), running from his past demons and any semblance of a normal life in the present. In fact, his only true friend is his former mentor, Dick Hallorann (Carl Lumbly taking over the role originally brought to life by Scatman Crothers), or his ghost that is – in fact, the spirit was the one who taught the boy to trap unruly ghosts in casket-like boxes in his mind.
Eventually finding the help he needs in a small town on the east coast of the United States, longtime sober Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis) finds the drifter a room, a helpful Alcoholics Anonymous group, and a fulfilling job (as an orderly at a hospice). After being haunted by ghosts for his entire life, he is used to both the dead and dying. . . Danny finally finding some solace and peace in using his ‘shining’ powers to ease patients final fears – earning him the moniker ‘Doctor Sleep’.
In a soon to be intersecting storyline, Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) is the leader of a roving, gypsy-like pack of long living shining (or, as they call it, ‘steam’) stealing predators with supremely-honed supernatural powers. Recruiting some (usually the powerful), like fifteen year old psychokinetic Snakebite Andi (Emily Alyn Lind) – who can control minds, when it comes to young children or those with a weaker energy force, they simply devour their entire essence – what they need to survive. Look for a cameo from up-and-comer Jacob Tremblay in this section of the movie.
There is also a third narrative that weaves everything together. . . Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran) is a young teen with a shining that hasn’t been felt (or seen) in years. With so much power that she becomes a psychic pen-pal with Danny, soon her intense energy is felt by the dangerous band of soul stealers. This leads her to find Danny in person and recruit his help, and much to his chagrin, it is time for things to come full circle – his turn to become mentor to a young child with the shining.
Packed with plenty of The Shining references, for fanatics, keep your eyes peeled for nods big and small. An absolute treat, expect a return to the Overlook Hotel, even more derelict than before (painfully recreated from blueprints acquired by the Kubrick estate). As mentioned above, Hallorann, and several other characters, return. . . inspired casting that does not look for carbon copies or exact duplicates, but instead, a certain kindred spirit. Arguably the most interesting is Henry Thomas, who plays a hybrid of the Overlook’s bartender and Nicholson’s Jack Torrence – highly effective. As for smaller nods, Abra’s home address is 1980 (the year the original was released), while many of the rooms (like the place where Danny interviews for the orderly job), are carbon copies of something found in The Shining (the above example matches where Jack interviews for the caretaker position at the Hotel).
Despite all of the similarities, this is very much a different film. On top of the addiction to rehabilitation (or sobriety) deviation, the former’s intense essence of claustrophobia (where a family of three are literally trapped in a snow-surrounded Hotel) transitions here into a story of tracking and pursuit. . . a game of cat and mouse not found in one scary location, but all across America. Also, it is about character development, discovering how people get stuck in ruts. . . yet also how we can learn and evolve over time. It is about patterns, finding ourselves in the same spot as our parents/mentors. . . or are those same mistakes going to continue to be made over the generations?
A worthwhile return to a world many never thought would be seen again, Doctor Sleep, despite its poor box office returns, is a quality horror film. Though not as scary as the original, it is true to both film and novels, and more importantly, to the characters. Full of things to delve into, some camera angles echo Kubrick’s own, while others find original and eerie ways to further the visuals. It is a feast for the eyes, the senses, and the spirits (just as long as you’re not drinking them). So, don’t overlook this spooky sequel, it definitely shines bright.