Movie Review: “Doctor Sleep” ambitiously brings King’s and Kubrick’s visions together

Movie Review: “Doctor Sleep” (R)

I’m really late with this one, but given that it’ll be dropping on Blu-ray and DVD soon, I thought, “Better late than never.” Particularly when taking into consideration that this movie deserved a much larger theatrical audience than it got!

“The Shining,” a meticulously crafted ghost tale directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick and based on a beloved novel by the legendary Stephen King, is one of the great horror films of all time. Of course, as popular as the movie is, King has never been much of a fan. In fact, the iconic author has suggested on more than one occasion that the movie runs cold while his book runs hot. Suffice it to say that when word surfaced that King’s 2013 followup “Doctor Sleep” would be turned into a movie courtesy of Netflix’s “The Haunting of Hill House” show-runner Mike Flanagan, fans immediately began to wonder what exactly this movie would be, a follow-up to Kubrick’s film or a faithful adaptation of King’s book.

As it turns out, it’s both!

“Doctor Sleep” picks up where “The Shining” left off. Danny (Roger Dale Floyd filling in for Danny Lloyd) and his mother Wendy (Alex Essoe filling in for Shelly Duvall) have moved to the sunny state of Florida following the chilly and horrific events that took place at the Overlook Hotel. Young Danny continues to “shine,” and while he’s still haunted by supernatural forces, he’s learned to take charge of his life and keep the demons at bay thanks to advice bestowed upon him by guardian angel Dick Hallorann (Carl Lumbly filling in for Scatman Crothers).

Cut to over three decades later and it’s clear that the years have not been kind to Dan Torrance (the adult version of the character is played by Ewan McGregor). His bout with the drink has gotten him into hot water on many occasions, and after a night of partying with a woman he doesn’t even know, Dan decides it’s time to pack up and start anew. His soul-searching journey leads him to a sleepy little town where he meets kind-hearted Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis), and before long, Dan finds himself in a much better place.

Good things don’t always last, though, and this man’s hard-fought-for sobriety is ultimately put to the test after his mental bonding with young Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran) — who also shines — brings him face to face with the True Knot, a deadly cult led by a charismatic Rose the Hat (played by Rebecca Ferguson). As it turns out, this vicious family of nomads travels from town to town, feeding on the souls of youngsters who shine. Eventually, Dan and Abra team up in an effort to bring the True Knot to justice in a sort of more horror-oriented take on “X-Men.”

Flanagan pulls off the nearly impossible here with an ambitious, patient, and unsettling horror show that serves as both a sequel to Kubrick’s film and a spiritually faithful adaptation of King’s book. The end result is a movie that for the majority of its running time is far from a rehash. Save for grandiose moments of epic fan service, particularly in the sequences that bookend the film, “Doctor Sleep” pretty much plays as its own thing. And for all its horror elements and deep dives into the world of the supernatural, this film is emotionally charged, undeniably poignant, and surprisingly grounded, particularly when it’s delving into the real-life horror that is addiction.

But any good tale of addiction should offer up at least a glimmer of hope, and “Doctor Sleep” is no exception. I recently read somewhere that if “The Shining” is a story about alcoholism, then “Doctor Sleep” is a story about sobriety. Never have truer words been spoken. And in this regard, Flanagan’s take on this universe really sticks closer to King’s written word. As much as I love Kubrick’s “The Shining,” Jack Torrance’s struggles with alcoholism in that movie almost feels secondary — something that Mick Garris tried to rectify several years later in his less successful and underappreciated TV miniseries adaptation.

As grand and terrifying as Jack Nicholson was in “The Shining,” it’s clear that adult Dan makes for a character of greater depth in this picture, and it’s equally clear that McGregor is absolutely superb in the role. The “Trainspotting” star is both vulnerable and strong in equal measure, and he brings real dramatic weight to the proceedings. Curran is equally effective as Abra, Dan’s young and powerful new friend. She’s warm and likable to be sure, but she’s tough as nails when she needs to be, as is evident whenever she’s squaring off with members of the True Knot. And while we’re on the topic of the True Knot, as solid as the leads and all the supporting players are in “Doctor Sleep,” Ferguson just about walks away with the picture as a captivating and extremely charismatic Rose the Hat, an ancient baddie who is as magnetic as she is terrifying! In fact, she is so scary in her moments of feeding that she could easily stand toe to toe with Pennywise in a celebrity death match!

As stated at the top of the review, Flanagan has pulled off the nearly impossible here. There are sequences in this picture that are profoundly upsetting, from a haunting scene featuring a woman and child from Dan’s past to an absolutely horrific sequence featuring the great Jacob Tremblay (“Room”) that I will not soon forget. But the scenes of unbridled horror are balanced with moments of drama, heart, compassion, and optimism, and the film’s epic but necessary run time (over 2 1/2 hours) allows for sensible character arcs and much needed patience. In fact, Flanagan is able to give an equal amount of time to both the protagonists and the antagonists, and this film is all the better for it.

And then there’s the tone and extraordinary look of this picture. Flanagan sets that tone almost immediately by opening the film where the original left off. He wisely recasts Wendy and young Danny rather than attempting CG trickery ala Peter Cushing in “Rogue One,” and it should be noted that Essoe and Floyd are so good at capturing the essence of Duvall and Lloyd, respectively, that it’s downright eerie.

The exceptional technical attributes on display in “Doctor Sleep” go without saying. They include the masterful recreation of the Overlook Hotel (it burned down in King’s original book, but here it’s back in all its creepy glory). I remember being in awe of Spielberg’s recreation of this famous horror hotspot in “Ready Player One,” but Flanagan and his gifted crew have managed to top even that. Beyond that, Flanagan uses a handful of familiar sound and music cues throughout “Doctor Sleep.” Additionally, he peppers the picture with a handful of wonderful “Shining”-inspired Easter eggs — but again, the major thrust of this movie still plays very much as its own thing.

“Doctor Sleep” isn’t a complete slam dunk. There’s an ambush sequence late in the movie that feels a bit out of place given the fact that the True Knot have already come to the conclusion that Abra is not to be underestimated — as is completely evident by one of the film’s most effective scenes, a dreamy bit of cinematic goodness in which Rose the Hat invades the powerful youngster’s head. Further still, there is an over reliance of fan service in the final act. In particular, a moment in which a handful of familiar characters appear side by side in frame together comes across as more silly than scary. Thankfully, though, said moment is followed up by a smart and surprisingly poignant plot point that does work. This particular plot point involves heroic Dan and plays as a moving homage to a key element from King’s original book that Kubrick chose to omit from his take on “The Shining.” This alteration really does work to this movie’s advantage.

“Doctor Sleep” is considerably stronger than it probably had any right to be, and a great deal of its undeniable effectiveness has to be attributed to Flanagan. Seriously, this guy sits alongside Ari Aster (“Hereditary”) as one of the strongest current voices in horror. It really is bizarre that this movie bombed at the box office when, quite frankly, it’s substantially scarier and infinitely more unsettling than the box-office juggernaut that was “It: Chapter Two.” It’s a heck of a lot more moving, too. Perhaps 20 years from now “Doctor Sleep” will gain the same sort of passionate following that King’s best cinematic adaptation, Frank Darabont’s unforgettable “The Shawshank Redemption,” has amassed over the last two decades. Whatever the case may be, this is a very good movie and well worth seeing. Particularly if you’re a King fan!

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