Never Retallack | Entertainment Editor
Part of the fun when it came to watching the 2019 film “Doctor Sleep,” a Stephen King adaptation based on the sequel of the same name to “The Shining,” is finding all the Easter eggs that are hidden within this thriller.
Fans of the cult classic of “The Shining” can all agree that the film is full of iconic images and scenes, such as the blood filling the hallway, the scary twins, and of course Jack Nicholson sticking his face through the door he hacked a hole into. Mark Flanagan’s “Doctor Sleep” provided a new and exciting storyline while managing to revisit its origins and give audience members chills.
The film was originally in the works after the book “Doctor Sleep” was first published, but didn’t develop it until after the popularity of Stephen King’s “It” (2017). Flanagan said that the goal was to reconcile the differences between the novel and film “The Shining.”
The 2019 film stars Ewan McGregor as a grown up Dan Torrence. He is introduced as an alcoholic and troubled man, haunted by his past at the Overlook Hotel. Once on the path to change himself for the better, the audience meets Abra Stone — portrayed by Kyliegh Curran — a young girl who “shines” very brightly.
Those who shine like Dan and Abra are hunted by a group of supernatural beings who survive off of their souls. The film was a rollercoaster, watching the different powers that emerge, giving it a very different feel than that of “The Shining” which was more psychologically scary.
I don’t want to give away too much, but there were several scenes back in the Overlook Hotel that made audience members gasp in horror and delight; connecting back with the origins was my favorite part of the film.
Overall Rating: The actors in the film did a wonderful job, especially Curran in her debut role. I believe it’s challenging for any sequel to be better than its predecessor, and that goes for “Doctor Sleep” as well. The story was interesting, the jump scares were in fact scary, and the Easter eggs were exciting, but I don’t think it surpasses the uniqueness of Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.”
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
Photos courtesy of warnerbros.com
