Doctor Sleep is some of Mike Flanagan's best work, demonstrating his passion for Stephen King and his desire to make a faithful adaptation that pleases fans of both the original film and book.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided us with a free copy of this Blu-ray/DVD that we reviewed in this blog post. The opinions we share are our own.
“Still scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance faces the ghosts of the past when he meets Abra, a courageous teen who desperately needs his help – and who possesses a powerful extrasensory ability called the “shine”.”
Mike Flanagan has quickly become a commanding presence in the horror genre, with his direction of another Stephen King story, Gerald’s Game, as well as one of my favorite series on Netflix, The Haunting of Hill House. When I heard he was helming Doctor Sleep I couldn’t have been happier, and I don’t think I could have been more pleased with the result.
Although The Shining is regarded as a horror cinematic masterpiece, Stephen King was not a fan, and Flanagan’s biggest hurdle was convincing King that the film needed to reference Kubrick’s film and the changes that he made to the original story. His efforts create something entirely unique, separate from the book, which incorporates the best traits of the original. What fans of King’s book The Shining will find most satisfying about Doctor Sleep is a lot of the callbacks that Flanagan inserts into the film, ensuring that he caters to both sides of the aisle.
While Doctor Sleep does have a lot of nostalgia associated with it in terms to all of the scenes involving The Shining in some way, it doesn’t rely on that to make the film enjoyable. When we first meet Dan Torrence (Ewan McGregor) he is a mess. The events at the Overlook Hotel have taken their toll on Dan, having him turn to drinking in order to dull the pain, and in effect, dull the shine that he has. He really is at his lowest point, the start of a great character journey in which he overcomes those obstacles, one of the same obstacles that took his father down a dark path. Ewan McGregor plays this part perfectly, reluctant to use or even acknowledge his gift, the refusal of the call as it were, to complete the circle that Dick Hallorann (Carl Lumbly) suggests to him: that he was taught by him about the shining, and that he himself will find someone to teach. While Kubrick’s film doesn’t really go in depth about this ability and exactly what it can do, Doctor Sleep is almost exclusively about this ability, how it’s used, and the people who seek out people with the shine.
The True Knot are one of the main antagonists in the film led by Rose The Hat (Rebecca Ferguson). This group of nomads is established in the very opening sequence of the film where they hunt down a little girl with this gift in order to prolong their lives, a lot like vampires in a way. Their story is told separately from the other characters for the majority of the film, but as soon as they learn of the existence of Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), a young girl whose power is beyond anything they’ve ever experienced, they begin their hunt for her, which would sustain them for years to come. While this group is certainly interestingly portrayed, including a very horrific sequence involving another small child, they don’t seem to invoke the same kind of fear and dread that some of the ghosts of The Overlook did. Rose The Hat is the most entertaining one of them all with her ability to attach herself to people and look inside their minds, and Rebecca Ferguson is mesmerizing in this role. My only complaint about the film, and this is a very small one, is that there should have been more confrontation between The True Knot and Danny/Abra. The final sequence really does ramp things up, but for such a long film it doesn’t seem nearly long enough.
The third act is definitely the highlight of the entire film, elevating this to one of my favorite sequels I’ve seen. This set includes the Theatrical and Director’s Cut of the film, the latter coming in at 180 minutes. Although I don’t know everything that didn’t make the cut in the Theatrical, the Director’s Cut never felt muddled or boring and kept fantastic pacing despite the three hour run-time, leaving me wanting even more after it was over. Those familiar with King’s book, The Shining, will understand the beauty of the ending of this film, which solidifies Mike Flanagan as one of my favorite up and coming directors, one who I can only hope does countless more adaptations of Stephen King’s works, as he has creating some of the most respectful and faithful adaptations out there.
Video
Doctor Sleep is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1. The transfer looks exceptional, with color balance rich and vibrant. This film has so many different tones with each of these sequences given such a completely unique look. For the flashback sequences at The Overlook, those muted, yellow, mustard-ish colors that are iconic to the original look fantastic, and then the modern-day sequences that contrast nicely with those. Additionally, there are some breathtaking visuals related to the shine that will make your jaw drop.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos on both the Theatrical and Director’s Cuts. This track couldn’t be any better, with a great balance between the surrounds and center channel, with those surrounds really ramping up in the best moments to build the tension for each scene. The heartbeat we hear throughout can sometimes be deafening, a very effective method of setting the tone of the sequence. One of the things I wanted to hear the most was that opening theme from The Shining, and Flanagan puts it at the most perfect moment that you can’t help but rise out of your chair and cheer for.
Special Features
The extras are located on the Theatrical disc, with some nice featurettes that include a lot of information from Flanagan himself and an interview with both him and Stephen King. They aren’t terribly long, but nonetheless great information on the making of such a fantastic sequel.
These include:
- From Shining to Sleep: Author Stephen King and director/screenwriter Mike Flanagan look back at the original novel and classic film to discuss how they took on the sequel.
- The Making of Doctor Sleep: A New Vision
- Return to the Overlook
Doctor Sleep, in my opinion, brings the absolute best of both worlds in referencing elements from both The Shining film and book, providing a sequel to both of them in this film. Flanagan has done a fantastic job navigating all of this, and there can be no better homage to what he grew up loving than the screenplay he came up with that had King’s blessing. For me, Doctor Sleep is a perfect sequel to a story I never thought needed one, but a story that I hope continues on even after this.
