Doctor Sleep: Check Back in to the Overlook

So I am back with another movie review. After watching Kubrick's The Shining a couple of weekend a go I just couldn't wait to watch it's sequel Doctor Sleep. It's a tough act to follow and boy does it step up and pass with flying colours. This doesn't just feel like a sequel more a continuation and expansion of the world that we already knew so well.

SPOILERS AHOY

QUICK PLOT OVERVIEW: After the trauma at the Overlook Hotel Danny now Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) is living his life as an alcoholic who is dulling his "shine" powers with booze. However when he gets a psychic connection with a girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran) he is drawn into a world of Psychic vampires and back to the place where his father died.

Taking over from Stanley Kubrick must have been a daunting prospect. The Shining is possibly one of the most revered Horror films of all time. Even after so many years Jack Torrance's descent into madness as played by a truly scary Jack Nicholson sticks in your mind. So how you'd even start thinking about making a sequel I do not know. However Mike Flanagan did.

Firstly this film is not just about Dan Torrance. It's about far more. It's about saving children, discovering powers, fighting vampires and conquering your demons whether that be by locking them in boxes or weaponising them.

This film is as much Abra's as it is Dan's and it shows. Abra is an amazing character and it is fantastic to have a young girl as the second lead in this film. Kyliegh Curran is fantastic in this film and has proved herself a real one to watch.

As well as having an excellent young female lead we have a truly scary female villain in Rebecca Ferguson's Rose the Hat. An ageless vampire feeding off children with the shine. It's really great to see a film like this and also to see a villain that you really feel could win.

However she could never beat the ultimate villain Dan has faced before and that of course is the iconic Overlook hotel complete with its bathrooms of corpses, long hallways and squiggly carpets. Honestly the last segment of the film where they go to the Overlook is utterly nailbiting. Not just because a fantastic cameo that I don't want to spoil that honestly made me tear up. Someone we have met before is in the Gold Room my friends and he just wants to pour Dan a drink!

Overall I would say please go and see this film. It's enjoyable, fun, scary and really respects the original whilst also respecting Steven King's wishes. I loved every minute!