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30th October 2019
04:08pm GMT

Much like The Shining, Doctor Sleep doesn't heavily lean into the blood, guts and gore. This should be no surprise when you look at the CV of the film's director, Mike Flanagan - he previously made Hush and The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix.
That sense of creeping dread, long shots of lingering ghouls, and an ominous atmosphere persists throughout. However, that's not to say that the film isn't without its flaws.
Tonally, there are times when it feels a bit disjointed and like a few films merged into one - part of it feels like a road trip as Danny heads cross-country to meet Abra, another part is more like a conventional thriller as Danny uses his 'shine' to discover the whereabouts of a missing child.
It's possible to strictly view Doctor Sleep as a film about a man that's facing his demons - both personal and supernatural.
Classifying it purely as a psychological thriller isn't apt.
Elsewhere, some characters feel flippant and completely unnecessary to the overall plot because ultimately, we all know where the film is heading. There are also periods when the pace slows down and you're hoping for a scare or two to jolt the attention levels back up.
However, despite the fact that the destination is clearly marked, the real giddy thrill of Doctor Sleep is arriving there, as the doors are finally opened and, once the characters get to the Overlook Hotel, it feels almost like Avengers: Endgame for fans of the original.
By that we mean the buzz you get from spotting an Easter egg, acknowledging a line of dialogue, seeing the most famous elevators in cinema history, returning to room 237, the axe.
If anyone has even the smallest emotional connection to Kubrick's film, they'll get a kick out of seeing something as small as *that* pattern on the carpet, or the damaged door.
Speaking of which, it's clear that Flanagan and his production team worked tirelessly to recreate the sets because the detail is fantastic and you get the foreboding sense that every nook, cranny, and corner of the hotel is soaked with menace. The director has spoken at length about how he obsessed and analysed every frame of Kubrick’s film in preparation for Doctor Sleep. It shows.
The film starts slowly and descends into madness, just like its predecessor.
Ultimately, Danny has to call upon his own powers as never before while facing his fears and reawakening the ghosts of the past.
By the time the final act comes around, you'll forgive the bumps and detours along the road. Unlike other remakes/reboots/sequels, it doesn't commit cinematic redrum to what came before it.
Instead, it feels like a bridge between King and Kubrick's visions of the material while distinctly remaining a Mike Flanagan film.
Doctor Sleep is released on 31 October in Irish cinemas.
Clip via Warner Bros. PicturesExplore more on these topics:

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