Horror sequels are rarely easy to make. A slasher film can theoretically produce a dozen follow-ups before they feel the full wrath of diminishing returns, but most scary movies don't lend themselves to franchise-building. A film that's as masterful, intelligent, and complete as Stanley Kubrick's The Shining doesn't feel like it needs anything added on. Stephen King believed his novel warranted a sequel, and Mike Flanagan was tasked with making Doctor Sleep the big-screen answer to both.
Much has been made of the differences between Stephen King's Shining and Stanley Kubrick's adaptation. Of the countless films built from King's stories, it's the undisputed frontrunner and the author's least favorite. Few creators have ever differed so strongly from their audience's preferences. Reconciling the gap between King and Kubrick seemed impossible. When asked, Stephen King confirmed Flanagan's success.
What is Doctor Sleep about?
In the 31 years since the Torrance family's ordeal at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance has become an alcoholic drifter. With the help of Dick Hallorann, he sealed the spirits who inhabited the hotel away in boxes in the dark corners of his mind. He still experiences disturbing visions. He drinks constantly to numb the "shining" and struggles to overcome the disease that consumed his father. Dan moves to New Hampshire for a fresh start. He starts attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, where he makes a friend named Billy. Dan finds a job as a hospice orderly, where his powers aid patients in passing on. Happy for the first time in decades, Dan settles into a pleasant life until a psychic cry for help drags him into a new conflict.
Across the country, a group of psychics called the True Knot hunt and kill kids with the shining. They absorb "steam" from their targets to keep them eternally young. Their leader, Rose, feels the presence of an impossibly powerful psychic after killing a young boy. Abra Rose, a child born with a gift she doesn't understand, reaches out for help, drawing the True Knot. She catches Dan's attention and earns his sympathy. Dan sees himself in Abra, a kid with psychic abilities that inevitably bring evil to their door. He recruits his friend Billy and Abra's dad to hunt down the True Knot, stop their killing spree, and save Abra's life. Even as they bring together a plan, Dan can feel the terrible call of the Overlook.
How was Doctor Sleep produced?
Stephen King devised a sequel to The Shining after watching a public reading of the original novel in 2009. He was partially inspired by the story of Oscar, a therapy cat who lived in a hospice care facility in Rhode Island. Oscar was said to be able to predict the passing of patients, demonstrating his diagnosis by napping next to patients a few hours before they died. King made a connection to Danny Torrance and wrote the story from there. Oscar was represented in the novel and film by a similar cat called Azzie. The book became a hit, and work on a film adaptation began in 2014. For three years, Doctor Sleep and a proposed Shining prequel called Overlook Hotel struggled to find funding. Everything changed when 2017's It dropped and pulled in over $700 million at the box office.
Doctor Sleep is an adaptation of King's novel of the same name. It takes the central premise and many scenes directly from the text. It's also a sequel to Kubrick's Shining. The changes combine King's story about psychic vampires preying upon a little girl with Kubrick's Overlook Hotel. There are several references to the film, some of which are more subtle than others. Flanagan wove the two tales together, recasting characters as necessary. Flanagan masterfully keeps the themes alive while telling a fresh story. It's more than a love letter to The Shining. It's everything King's sequel was and more. King went on to say he felt Doctor Sleep redeemed Kubrick's Shining in his eyes.
How does Doctor Sleep end?
Dan and Billy turn the tables on the True Knot by tricking them into an ambush. Abra draws their attention by projecting herself to a local park, and then Dan and Billy attack them with rifles. Most of the psychics are killed. Only Rose and her lover Crow Daddy. Billy is killed during the attack. Crow Daddy kidnaps Abra, but Dan saves her by using his power to make him crash his car. With Rose coming after them, Dan's last-ditch effort is to drag Abra to the Overlook. Dan wanders through the hotel, waking up the spirits who have laid dormant for years. He starts the boiler. Dan meets the bartender, who now takes the form of his father, Jack. Steeling himself, he faces Rose in combat. She overpowers him, but he unleashes the ghosts he trapped in his youth. They devour Rose's power, killing her instantly. The spirits of the Overlook possess Dan, but he retains his control enough to send Abra away and trap himself with the boiler. The Overlook burns, killing Dan as he enjoys a vision of his mother offering comfort. Abra returns to her life, now maintaining a relationship with Dan's spirit, much like Dan's relationship with Dick Hallorann. He's the mentor to the new generation, and he seems much happier that way.
Doctor Sleep is a fantastic sequel and an even better film. As a standalone horror film, it would still be a thrilling ride. Fans of The Shining in either form would enjoy Doctor Sleep. Mike Flanagan pulled together the best parts of both works and wove them into an instant classic. The film is available now on Max for anyone who missed it. Sometimes, all an ill-advised sequel needs is the right filmmaker to bring it together.