By Shane Conto
For most of my life, I have pretty much avoided the horror genre as I am a pretty big baby when it comes to being scared. A horror film has to be quite impressive to really grab my attention and make it worth sitting through for me. My favorite horror film of all time is The Shining, Kubrick’s one adventure into the world of horror. I have not yet read the sequel novel, Doctor Sleep, but still got quite excited when this film was announced. What really got my attention was the inclusion of director Mike Flanagan who has already shown his talent with his work on Oculus, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald’s Game, and his greatest accomplishment of Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House. Throw in Ewan McGregor and Rebecca Ferguson and a long runtime creates a horror epic and you REALLY got my attention. Doctor Sleep returns to the story of Danny Torrance as an adult dealing with his own alcoholism when he connects with another person who Shines. Together they must take on a dark cult of special people who feed on the Shine.
Mike Flanagan is one of the true highlights of this film with his impressive direction. There were a few scenes in this film that blew me away. Some of the highlights include a terrifying scene that shows this cult feeding upon a poor young boy and another that features a mind battle between this young woman who Shines (Abra) and our antagonist Rose the Hat. Flanagan is able to build the tension in a poignant way with the camera work, sound design, and acting with his steady hand leading the way. The visuals are inspired and the production design is imaginative. Flanagan makes the best of this in multiple scenes as he manipulates the sets in creative ways. The practical effects are incredible as they draw the audience into this crazy world of monsters and magic. The pacing for this film is quite impressive as well with a two hour and thirty-minute runtime. But let’s not just focus on the scares and tension as there are truly emotional moments as well. One particular scene towards the end once we make our way back to the Overlook really makes an impact. The character driven nature of this film really helps the film deliver on affecting emotional moments. I was on the verge of tears with one particular revelation that was also embedded in an unnerving scene with its own ghosts.
Where most of the issues I see with this film lie would be in the screenplay. This film has the issue that I would like to call “The Gangs of New York Issue”. One particular issue I have with films is when the vast majority of the runtime is spent building a satisfying story but in the end that is through to the side in favor of a different story. Doctor Sleep struggles with this same issue. The first two hours focus on this struggle with Rose the Hat and her gang (who by the way have a lot of time spent on them especially giving Rose enough time to build into a great antagonist) trying to find this young woman named Abra. A decent amount of time is spent on just their gang and giving the audience perspective on what they do. A major subplot is the tortured history of Danny Torrance and his relationship with his dead father and with alcoholism. But once the film shifts gears toward The Overlook (which feels a bit forced to begin with), the film really focuses on this subplot. The last thirty minutes feel a little shameless with the inclusion of The Overlook but honestly it doesn’t really harm the film too much. Some places during this extended runtime feel like they could have been trimmed. But overall, this is an ambitious script that balances many characters and plot points in a poignant way.
To focus a little bit on the technical aspects of the film, the cinematography is fantastic. The film has the unique visual richness that all of Flanagan’s works have due to his partnership with Michael Fimognari. I appreciate Flanagan focusing on his vision instead of trying to be a Kubrick clone. The camerawork in some scenes is incredible with impressive tilts and rich framing. The visuals are matched by the fluid and steady editing that Flanagan brings to his own films. The scenes would not pop as well either without the engrossing sound work across the board. The Newton Brothers’ score is unnerving and frightening yet beautiful and affecting. Those strings hit you like crazy! A great ode to the music of the original The Shining. The sound design is just as great with the atmospheric tones that help build the tension.
Finally, the acting is the glue that holds this epic together.
Ewan McGregor is at top form as Danny Torrance with his understated yet moving performance. One scene at AA shows his emotional range were as the final stretch gives McGregor a particular interaction that will be remembered as a highlight of this film. Kyliegh Curran as Abra provides a powerful and confident performance which was impressive for such a young actress. She has a swagger about her in some scenes and she shows great terror in other scenes (especially when she is connected with Rose the Hat). Speaking of Rose the Hat, Rebecca Ferguson is a revelation in this film. She has an animal magnetism that is unbelievable and draws in the audience. Ferguson is one of the most interesting parts of this film because her performance is so engrossing and you as an audience build a strange connection to her. She is unnerving and attractive at the same time. Also, a shout out to Carl Lumbly who gives a great performance as Dick Hallorann as he returns to mentor Danny.
The film balances a crazy fantasy/horror story with a character driven center for a unique experience. The emotions are real and the horror is poignant. The messages are deep and meaningful with a deep look at addiction. What else could you ask for in a film? Despite an overly ambitious screenplay, Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep was a satisfying sequel to an all-time classic.