The Synopsis:
Years following the events of The Shining, a now-adult Dan Torrance meets a young girl with similar powers as he tries to protect her from a cult known as The True Knot, who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.
The Review:
Many years after the events at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance is grown up, trying to live in peace, and finally escape his demons. Like his father, Dan turned to alcohol to solve his problems, but Dan’s Shining–his supernatural abilities–cannot be contained. Dan is able to kick his habit and finds good use of his Shining by assisting the elderly in their final moments, until he and a young girl whose shining may be more powerful than his own, Abra, share a vision: It’s a young boy being tortured, his Shine forced from his body and consumed by a mysterious group whose leader, Rose, has sensed their presence and shine.
Rose is instantly consumed by the need for their Shine. The resulting events lead Dan and Abra across the country, deep into their minds, and to the one place Dan has been trying to escape his entire life.
Doctor Sleep is the sequel to The Shining, but if you haven’t seen The Shining, that’s OK. Doctor Sleep starts and recaps the events of The Shining, and in some way does a better job at explaining the supernatural forces at work. Doctor Sleep takes a very different approach than The Shining, at evil and life after death, while still being able to chill you to the bone. At the same time, Doctor Sleep is very much about recovery, overcoming trauma, and acceptance. Doctor Sleep is the juxtaposition of people trying to better themselves and the world around them, with our worst nightmares terrifyingly coming to life. On the upside, characters recognize their problems and flaws and try to do better. Doctor Sleepalso illuminates the strong Christian foundation of AA. After recovering, Dan uses his shining to the betterment of the people around him. Although, Christianity is portrayed positively and an afterlife is said to exist, Doctor Sleep does not have an overt Christian message or commentary. The downside is most notably violence, with some language and nudity thrown in.
Due to those factors, Doctor Sleep cannot be approved by Dove.
