Fans of ‘The Shining’ will not be disappointed by ‘Doctor Sleep’, a thrilling sequel set decades after Stanley Kubrick’s iconic horror. The film focuses on a grown-up Danny Torrance, played by Ewan McGregor, who avoids his psychic powers in favour of living a normal life. He is thrown back into a world of darkness and chaos when an exceptionally gifted ‘shiner’ reaches out to him, and asks for his help tracking down the formidable ‘Rose the Hat’- the film’s titular villain.
This role is played flawlessly by a magnetic Rebecca Ferguson, who steals every scene with her ability to be both extremely affable, and incredibly vile. As a wandering gypsy-like figure, Rose the Hat and her fleet of murderous cronies use their ‘shine to search for others that share the gift. Depending on their levels of hunger, those unlucky few that are found are either recruited or used for their energy, which the tribe consumes with the harried intensity of a junkie in need of a fix. One such scene, featuring breakout star and boy wonder, Jacob Trembley, captures the horror of such quests, and truly cements this movie as a high octane nightmare -theatre goers be warned.
Doctor Sleep is strewn with plenty of Easter Eggs for eagle-eyed fans and a scene that pays homage to its predecessor. For those not familiar with the prequel, Doctor Sleep is easy to follow and manages to survive on its own as a standalone film. Like every book penned by Stephen King, Doctor Sleep is a fascinating ride that is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats – even if it’s a little bit uncomfortable.
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