Despite the 1980 horror film, The Shining, being considered a Stanley Kubrick masterpiece, Stephen King was apparently unhappy with the direction the adaptation of his novel took.

Nearly four decades after Jack Nicholson terrorised audiences by hacking a hole into a toilet door, King has since given his blessings for the sequel of The Shining to finally be made.

Doctor Sleep is, as to be expected, a horror film based on King’s novel of the same name.

Directed by Mike Flanagan, horror veteran with Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House on his resume, the film stars the ever-talented Ewan McGregor as Dan Torrance, unfortunate son of Nicholson’s character.

The film starts immediately after the traumatic childhood events of The Shining, with Torrance learning to find some semblance of peace and how to use his powers, called the “shine”.

That peace comes to an end however, when he encounters an adolescent named Abra Stone, played by Kyliegh Curran, with a similarly powerful shine.

He soon learns that people like himself and her are being hunted down and devoured by The True Knot, a cult led by the relentless Rose the Hat, played by Rebecca Ferguson.

With no choice but to stand together, the two engage Rose in a battle to the last breath; Torrance having to confront forgotten fears and to release the ghosts of his past.

While Doctor Sleep is undoubtedly still a horror film, it is less a ghost story than its predecessor, and can even be said to be something of a character drama.

The ghosts of The Overlook Hotel do make brief appearances, but the horror does not come from them as much as the murderous ways of Rose and her fellow cultists.

In fact, gore and jump scares are quite noticeably missing from this film, not that it requires them since they are two different movies with two different tones.

As to be expected, the film draws on its famous predecessor, with some scenes of The Shining returning as flashbacks.

There is even a returning cast member in the form of Carl Lumbly, still playing the wise sage of Dick Hallorann, now a cheerful spirit.

It can be said that while it is possible to watch this film on its own, it is still better to watch the Kubrick film first to fully appreciate and understand some references made in this film.

There are several scenes that pay homage to Kubrick’s distinctive filmography, but Flanagan does throw in his own flair, with one scene of astral projection either leaving you chuckling or impressed.

The film starts off at a somewhat leisurely pace; some might consider it too slow.

The transition of Danny from being a traumatised child to be a grizzled, depressed wreck of an adult takes quite a while to go anywhere, but McGregor always commands the screen whenever he is onscreen.

Speaking of McGregor, the casting director did an immaculate job with their picks, as almost everyone is perfect for the roles that they play.

McGregor is the man for his role, appearing at times to be a nervous and unsure person still haunted by his nightmares.

When the time to step up comes, you can believe that this really is a man tired of quaking in his boots and is about to unleash hell on his foes.

Serving as his foil is Ferguson, who plays Rose as an outwardly amicable, hippie-like character who is a murderous monster inside.

However, when the tables are turned on her, it would have been more fitting if she had been played more psychotic and unhinged, as befitting a cornered animal.

Curran is a promising talent if her performance in this film is any indicator, as she is very likeable throughout and can be convincingly devious at times.

It helps that her character, Stone, breaks the mould of stupid child or teenage characters as she proves capable to hold her own and is never once irritating.

The entirety of the film, from beginning to conclusion, can be said to be a tale of passing the torch, from Torrance to Stone, as he passes on his hard-earned knowledge and experiences.

The interaction between the two characters is akin to that of a father-and-daughter, and it is one that is earned through the danger they face and the losses they take.

Doctor Sleep is worth watching for that aspect alone, and the excellent performances of the cast and for the call backs to one of the best horror films of all time.

While Flannagan pays respectful homage to Kubrick’s work, Doctor Sleep is distinctly his product, adorned with his personal style.

While it is not The Shining, it is still very much a good film that can stand on its own two feet without having to lean on its predecessor.