DOCTOR SLEEP REVIEW
Starring: Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson
Directed by: Mike Flanagan (Ouijia: Origin of Evil, Gerald’s Game)
Rated: R
Runtime: 2 hours 31 minutes
The Shining is quite possibly Stephen King’s most famous work.Released in 1977 and turned into a movie three years later from Stanley Kubrick, an overrated but acclaimed director.King trashed the film saying it dehumanized his most personal story.40 years later, the author still loathes the classic film, going so far as to believe his book is more FAMOUS than the movie.An opinion he had to be talked out of before Doctor Sleep was released.
Enter director Mike Flanagan.He had previously turned King’s short story, Gerald’s Game, into a movie for Netflix.He convinced the writer to let him helm to movie adaptation of the 2013 sequel book, Doctor Sleep.Return to his old work is something King has not often done.With this being the third Stephen King book to be put on the big screen this year alone, it was inevitable that SOMEONE would adapt Doctor Sleep.But which version do you follow, the book or the movie?
Flanagan opted to change a great deal of the book to follow the movie, and suit his own vision for the project.Miraculously he received the stamp of approval from The Kubrick Estate and Stephen King himself.Which if you’ve ever heard Stephen King talk about just how much he hates Stanley Kubrick’s version of The Shining, this is a real feat.People always wonder how faithful the movie is to the book.And they always wonder if everyone is OK with the version on screen.
Now, to the actual movie, Doctor Sleep.Ewan McGregor plays a grown Danny Torrence.Traumatized by the events at The Overlook Hotel as a child, he turns to a life of drugs and alcohol to cope.Not unexpected given his childhood or his father.One night, Danny hits rock bottom and gets out of town.A new town and a new start.He gets a job as an orderly.He joins AA.He’s beginning to get his life back together.Until The Shining rears its ugly head again.
A young girl named Abra.Yes, as in Abra Cadabra contacts Danny using The Shining.She needs help finding a group hunting down and killing kids with the special gift the two share.
The leader of this group is played by the lovely Rebecca Ferguson. She’s been in the recent series of Mission Impossible movies among other things.She does great work in the role of Rose the Hat.I thought she was the best part of the movie.She has a Stevie Nicks vibe, but she’s an immortal vampire-esque creature looking to feed on children with telepathic gifts.So, yes, EXACTLY like Stevie Nicks.
Doctor Sleep is undeniably a Stephen King work.As it goes down a normal path, it progresses how things normally would in real life, and then, BOOM some weird supernatural piece that doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the story comes in and almost wrecks everything.It’s fun in this movie, but you will take a step back at some point in this movie and say to yourself, “Wow, this is kind of weird when you think about it.”Absolutely!
Ewan McGregor, a real life recovering alcoholic, plays Danny brilliantly.He’s very reserved.He doesn’t want any part of The Shining anymore.But he also wants to help anyone avoid of life of torment like he has been subjected to.It’s a difficult balance that’s handled nicely.
Doctor Sleep is billed as a sequel to The Shining.Yes, we return to The Overlook Hotel by movie’s end.The setting for the original movie is like a specter hanging over the entire film.But it doesn’t really FEEL like a sequel to The Shining.It feels more like one movie is Iron Man and the other is Captain America.They’re connected, albeit loosely.They take place in the same world.They exist in the same plane, but they’re not 1 and 2.They’re more like A and B.
I see exactly what The Kubrick Estate loves about this movie.I see exactly what Stephen King loves about this movie.Fans of the original book, The Shining, should be pleased with Doctor Sleep.Fans of the original movie, might not LOVE it, but it was nice to revisit that world one more time.It wasn’t something I wanted, or thought was necessary.But it was absolutely a fun time going back and living in that space again.
Far from perfect, Doctor Sleep is two and a half hours.Definitely too long, needs to be cut down by at least 15 minutes.It doesn’t always make sense what’s happening, but I had fun watching it unfold.It’s infinitely more INTERESTING than The Shining.We’re doing more than watch a person descend into madness.While great, The Shining can be boring for stretches.Doctor Sleep is FAR from boring.It takes a number of big swings, it doesn’t always connect but it ends with a pretty good average.
On a scale of “See It/Stream It/Skip It” – See It – It’s the best of the King books turned movies this year.Real close with It Chapter Two.But ultimately, I think this was the best.
If you liked The Shining, Room 237, or any Stephen King adaptation you might enjoy Doctor Sleep
3.5 out of 5 stars for Doctor Sleep.My expectations were low going in, and I was very pleasantly surprised.This isn’t a movie that’s necessary, but it works more often than not.