Doctor Sleep

Doctor Sleep

Starring Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis

Directed by Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan is one of the best horror directors of our time, a man who effortlessly blends supernatural horror with the horrors of real life so seamlessly that you'd believe both are equally valid even in the real world.  Films like "Oculus," "Absentia," "Ouija: Origin of Evil" and "Gerald's Game" - not to mention his stellar work on the highly acclaimed Netflix series "The Haunting of Hill House" - are absolutely terrifying and spellbinding, as they all focus on the supernatural and natural horrors around its characters so subtly it's nearly perfect.  He brings his unique eye to Stephen King's novel "Doctor Sleep," again producing a product that'll be hailed as a modern-day horror masterpiece, and all the more due to the insurmountable odds he had to face to get the film made.

Everyone knows by now about Stanley Kubrick's classic "The Shining" in 1980, as it's easily on most everyone's top ten best horror films of all time.  The film was adapted from Stephen King's novel, and as pretty much everyone also knows, King absolutely hated it, saying it strayed so far from his original concept it was pretty much foreign to him.  King eventually did something that he never does - he wrote a direct sequel, called "Doctor Sleep" - and when it came time to bring it to the big screen, Flanagan had his work cut out for him.  Not only did he have to make a film that was equally as respected as "The Shining," but he also had to mix Kubrick's version with King's novel to bring both stories together, as well as appease the horror critics who hold the original film in such high regard.  When the film was released, King said, "I mostly write books and hope for the best. Box office numbers aside, Mike Flanagan’s film is excellent. If people choose not to go, that is their choice, but when something is good, I cheer for it."  Receiving praise from the original author typically helps the film, but somehow, someway, the film became a big flop opening weekend - and for the life of me I can't understand why, as I feel it's one of the best films of the year.

Maybe it's due to the fact that it came out so long after the original.  Maybe it's due to people holding the original to saintly regard and feel that nothing can ever compare to it.  Or maybe it's the two hour-thirty minute runtime.  Regardless of the reason, those who don't watch this film are missing out on something spectacular: not only does it hold to King's vision, it beautifully blends both King and Kubrick's visions together while adding Flanagan's own flair that makes it memorable, and a modern day horror masterpiece.

The film follows a grown-up Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor), who's gone through his life trying to hide his special power ("the shining," as he calls it) by overusing drugs and alcohol, but can't seem to escape the ghosts of the Overlook Hotel that keeps haunting him.  All the while, there's a group of supernatural entities out there who call themselves the True Knot - led by the charismatic, ruthless Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), who prey on young children who inhabit the "shining" power and kills them in slow, brutal ways to gain their "shine" - or "steam," as they call it.  Then there's young Abra (Kyliegh Curran), who exhibits her own "shining" power that far exceeds anyone else, as she possesses powers that none have ever seen before - and immediately draws the attention of Rose and the True Knot, who go in search for her.  She calls upon Dan to help her, and he sobers up and agrees to help by going to the one place where he thinks he can keep her safe - the Overlook Hotel.

Although many feel the film runs long, there's not a minute of "Doctor Sleep" that's wasted, as every moment, every second, propels the story forward.  It also firmly establishes its characters and gives them deeper meanings, values, and motives than otherwise would if the film was cut by a half hour.  We see Dan at the lowest part of his life slowly build himself up and become a mentor he never thought he would.  Rose the Hat is much more than a one-dimensional villain as she seeks out Abra, while also fearing her for what she can do - something she never experienced before.  Abra herself is a pure light, a young girl who's no damsel in distress, but instead relishes in her powers and is extremely confident in her abilities.  This comes from three stellar performances that couldn't be more diametrically opposed, yet complimenting one another beautifully.  Ewan McGregor effortlessly floats through his performance, while newcomer Kyliegh Curran is a powerhouse all her own, a young actress who is easily just beginning her long road to superstardom.  Yet the standout performer is Rebecca Ferguson, who gives her career-best performance as Rose the Hat, a character you'd never want to meet in a dark ally, yet also exudes such confidence, swagger, and grit that you can't help but admire.

The story itself blends the supernatural and natural in great ways, as the film itself tells an important story that everyone can relate to: the issues of death and the afterlife.  When Dan sobers up, he gets a job at a local hospice where he comforts dying patients who fear there's nothing in the afterlife, and he - more than most - knows that there is, and offers comfort for them in their final moments.  The film also showcases the power of youth, as the True Knot goes after the youngest of victims to get their "shine" in intense ways (in fact, the most unnerving part of the film comes when they consume a young person - who's an actor you very well know - and who do it in such a merciless way that it actually left Rebecca Ferguson and her co-stars rattled and emotionally drained afterward), and the film also spotlights the power of the young in Curran's Abra, who's not afraid of anything and showcases determination, power, and growth beyond her years.

The terror the film delivers is powerful, raw, and unforgettable - especially the aforementioned scene - and you can clearly see Flanagan's influence most strongly here, as he uses his environment, his actors, story, and especially the music to maintain a sense of unnerving dread and fear as he never relies on normal jump scares but keeps you so engrossed and engaged in the story you feel like you're watching something so special, so unique, that you can't help but attach yourself to it.  There were moments where I was literally on the edge of my seat, other times cheering, yelling, and gasping, and thankfully I was the only one in the theater at the time - but I was so engrossed in everything happening it took me out of where I was, something that normally doesn't happen.  Flanagan's fan service to the film reaches its denouement in the final act with the last stand at the Overlook - using old footage as well as new, while re-establishing old connections and re-visiting the spirits we've known to fear all these years as the battle itself is memorable and powerful, serving as a fitting conclusion to both King's and Kubrick's stories.

Mike Flanagan had an uphill climb from the start, but the result is nothing short of magical - as "Doctor Sleep" will undoubtedly become a modern-day horror classic in the decades to come due to its stellar script, superior performances, and standout atmosphere that beautifully balances Stephen King's original vision and Stanley Kubrick's ideas into a cohesive conclusion.

The Score: A+