Doctor Sleep picks up where The Shining left off and we see what happens to Danny Torrance after the events of The Shining and into his adult life. Danny comes across a young girl and a haunting tale begins. While the story mostly revolves around his run in with a Cult known as The True Knot, you also get to see how the trauma that Danny endured during his childhood affects him as an adult.
The film does a great job of recreating the images and overall feel from The Shining. They shot everything brand new and it is spot on accurate which is really impressive. The film is a beautiful piece of visual work. However, the film seems to lack in the pacing and overall story. They don’t spend enough time with the newer characters, mainly its antagonists. Consequently, there is no real intimidation for most of the film. The films pacing leaves you wanting things to speed up as you are ready to get to the good stuff.
The best part of this film is that this world feels lived in. This is brought to life by the visuals and the cast. The cast brings all around great performances and they are a pleasure to watch. The other stand out of Doctor Sleep is that the film stands on its own and you really don’t need to see The Shining before this film.
Doctor Sleep is a Horror film that is lacking on the horror and leans more into the suspense. While the film is recommended for viewing, it might be only worth a second viewing if you are a fan of The Shining. Cinema Wise gives Doctor Sleep a 3.5 out of 5.
Cinema Wise 