What an Impossible Mission to take on: adapting Stephen King’s sequel to The Shining, the mixed-reception Doctor Sleep, as a major movie that somehow straddles the considerable space–critical and stylistic–between King’s original novel (and horrible TV miniseries) and the legendary Stanley Kubrick anti-adaptation of the book. Sure, writer/director Mike Flanagan may be amazing–look at anything he’s done, from Gerald’s Game to Oculus to the truly amazing Haunting of Hill House–but come on. That’s crazy.
And yet…he pulls it off. Doctor Sleep is beautifully made, incredibly well-acted, suspenseful and fast-moving for something as complex and involving (and often meta) as it is, and yet it is still somehow respectful to both the original source and the much-loved Kubrick version Ewan McGregor. gives us his usual nuanced and effective performance (it’s hard not to take this guy for granted), and relative unknown Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat is hypnotic and charismatic and hard not to watch every damn second (can’t wait to see her as Lady Jessica in her next big movie: Dune). And young Kyliegh Curran, who plays Abra Stone, who actually Shines brighter than Danny Torrance, is equally impressive.
It’s rare that high expectations are actually fulfilled, but this time only the most hidebound or nit-picky are going to get hung up on the differences between book and film or the (understandable) questions that get left unanswered. As a work of storytelling and adaptation both, this is an awesome achievement from one of the best filmmakers working today–not just in horror and suspense, but in American film in general. (Yeah, come at me, Midway.)
You can hear more spoilerific celebration of Stephen King, Doctor Sleep, and horror in general on the weekly podcast, “The Dark Multiverse of Stephen King.” Click here to learn more… — B.M.
