Doctor Sleep (2019)
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A man with psychic abilities and a drinking problem must protect a young girl with even greater powers from a cult of psychic vampires.
The story
Years after the events at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance lives as an alcoholic to suppress his psychic 'shining' abilities. While working as a hospice orderly, he forms a telepathic bond with Abra Stone, a young girl whose psychic powers are even more potent than his own. When Abra discovers that a dangerous cult of psychic vampires known as the True Knot is hunting her, she seeks Dan's help. The two must navigate a dangerous journey to protect her from the cult's leader, Rose the Hat, and her followers, who seek to feed on the 'steam' of those with the gift.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Dan Torrance, an alcoholic with psychic abilities, forms a bond with a young girl named Abra Stone. They learn that a cult of psychic vampires, the True Knot, led by Rose the Hat, is hunting Abra for her immense 'shine.' After a series of skirmishes where Dan and his allies manage to defeat some members but lose others, Dan takes Abra to the abandoned Overlook Hotel. The hotel is dangerous for the cult's leader, Rose. During a final confrontation, Dan manages to release the hotel's ghosts from their 'lockboxes' to overwhelm Rose. In the ensuing chaos, the ghosts devour Rose and briefly possess Dan. Dan ultimately regains control and ensures the hotel is destroyed by fire. In the aftermath, Abra survives and tells her mother that Dan and his friend are safe, while Dan's spirit offers her comfort.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 152
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mike Flanagan
- Writers
- Mike Flanagan · writer
- Cast and characters
- Ewan McGregor · Dan Torrance; Rebecca Ferguson · Rose the Hat; Kyliegh Curran · Abra Stone; Cliff Curtis · Billy Freeman; Carl Lumbly · Dick Hallorann; Zahn McClarnon · Crow Daddy; Emily Alyn Lind · Snakebite Andi; Bruce Greenwood · Dr. John Dalton
- Genres
- supernatural horror; ghost; road movies
- Themes
- addiction; recovery; trauma
- Tone and mood
- somber; eerie
- Premise and plot tags
- supernatural; horror; sequel
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2013 novel by Stephen King
- Franchise connections
- The Shining
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the direction, screenplay, and performances, though it was criticized for its runtime. It was considered a disappointment at the box office compared to other 2019 King adaptations.
- Reported review scores
- CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Fangoria Chainsaw Award · Best Supporting Actress · win; Saturn Award · Best Performance by a Younger Actor · win
- Production trivia
- The film features a cameo by Danny Lloyd, who played young Danny in the original film.; The score is heavily inspired by the music of The Shining and includes a reworked rendition of the main theme, 'Dies Irae'.; The film was initially scheduled to be released on January 24, 2020.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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