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I never thought the sequel to The Shining could rival the first one when it comes to how enjoyable it is, but that is exactly what I think after just watching Doctor Sleep for the first time. I watched the Director's Cut which is 3 hours long and unlike other movies, this one didn't feel too stretched at all. I need to do a little recap about The Shining to explain what this movie is all about, no spoiler for neither of course.

In The Shining, we have a small family, the parents and their child. They move to a remote hotel that is always closed during the winter so the father can dedicate this time to the new book he is writing. The hotel, however, is a special place and not in a positive sense. In short words, it is a place where evil forces are present that make horrible things happen in a cyclic way. 

In The Shining, there are some hints about people with psychic powers but this part of the story isn't explored. Only the evil that inhabits this hotel. It is in Doctor Sleep where we really learn more about the supernatural element that is always present in this universe.

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Doctor Sleep is set decades after the incidents from The Shining. We see the kid from the first movie is now a grown and troubled man. This movie shows a much bigger picture and characters that are much crueler that everything we saw in The Shining. They are like a mix including characteristics from witches, psychics, and a little bit of vampires. 

These new villains are certainly something different and unlike the evil hotel in The Shining, these ones are free in the outside world always on the lookout for new and talented victims. The story is about preventing these evil people from continuing with their criminal activities, which is clearly not an easy task given the fact they all have supernatural abilities. 

The reason I consider this movie can be more entertaining than The Shining is because it is more dynamic in its scenes and pace. There is a real physical threat, less psychological deterioration and more straight to the point evilness. There is nothing close to the performance Jack Nicholson gave in The Shining, but the plot is more explicit and direct. 

One example of a very dynamic scene is this really cool moment that was beautifully shot and is like an astral projection, it was very original and certainly my favorite moment of the entire film.


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The third hour of the Director's cut version is full of references and tributes to The Shining. That part of the movie really stands on the shoulders of the classic masterpiece and, in my opinion, fans of the first film will love it. Every creepy part of The Shining is in some way recreated or referenced in the final hour, and it makes the ending much more complete.

#### The best
* Amazing scenes that keep you at the edge of your seat.
* Great exploration of the supernatural elements that go beyond the Overlook hotel.


#### The worst
* For those that enjoy scratching their heads thinking about potential explanations, this one doesn't leave you with too many questions as The Shining did. Although this isn't necessarily a bad thing.




More information: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/501170-doctor-sleep
Review: AAA
In numbers: 9/10


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