Doctor Sleep is a 2019 American supernatural horror film written,
directed, and edited by Mike Flanagan. Adapted from Stephen King's 2013 novel
of the same name, it serves as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s iconic 1980 film The
Shining. Ewan McGregor stars as Dan Torrance, a man still haunted by
childhood trauma and battling alcoholism while trying to suppress his psychic
abilities. He eventually finds a new purpose when he meets a gifted girl named
Abra Stone, played by Kyliegh Curran. Together, they face off against a
sinister cult led by the mysterious Rose the Hat, portrayed by Rebecca
Ferguson. Cliff Curtis also stars as Billy Freeman, Dan’s loyal friend and
ally.
Warner Bros. Pictures began
developing the adaptation soon after the novel's publication in 2013. A script
was initially penned by Akiva Goldsman, but the project only gained momentum
following the box office success of It (2017), another King adaptation.
Mike Flanagan was brought on to revise the screenplay and direct the film. His
vision included bridging the gap between King’s original work and Kubrick’s
cinematic version of The Shining. Principal photography commenced in
September 2018, primarily in Georgia, including the Atlanta area, and wrapped
up by December that year.
Doctor Sleep premiered on October 21, 2019, at the Regency Village
Theater in Los Angeles. It was released worldwide on October 31 and in the U.S.
on November 8. The film received generally favorable reviews, with critics
praising Flanagan’s direction and writing, along with standout performances
from McGregor, Ferguson, and Curran. However, some noted its lengthy runtime as
a drawback. Despite critical appreciation, the film underperformed at the box
office compared to other 2019 King adaptations like It Chapter Two and Pet
Sematary.
The story picks up decades after the
events at the Overlook Hotel. Dan Torrance, now an adult, remains
psychologically scarred by the terrifying encounters he survived as a child.
The spirits from the hotel continue to torment him, but the ghost of Dick
Hallorann teaches him to mentally trap them in psychic "lockboxes."
By 2011, Dan has turned to alcohol to dull both his pain and his shining. After
relocating to New Hampshire, he finds sobriety through Alcoholics Anonymous and
a new calling working in hospice care, where he earns the nickname "Doctor
Sleep" for comforting dying patients using his psychic gift.
Meanwhile, a young girl named Abra
Stone, whose shining surpasses Dan’s, forms a telepathic bond with him. As Abra
grows older, she becomes aware of a malevolent group known as the True Knot—an
ancient cult of psychic vampires led by the enigmatic Rose the Hat. The True
Knot feeds on “steam,” a psychic essence released when children with the
shining are tortured and killed. With fewer victims available, the cult begins
to weaken, and the brutal murder of a boy with the shining catches Abra’s
attention. She reaches out to Dan, setting the stage for their confrontation
with the True Knot.
Abra and Dan meet in person, and she
reveals what she knows about the group. Together, with Dan’s friend Billy and
Abra’s father Dave, they set a deadly trap for the cult. The plan succeeds in
eliminating most of the True Knot, but not without loss—Billy and Dave are both
killed, and Abra is kidnapped by Crow Daddy, Rose’s closest follower. Using his
abilities, Dan possesses Abra’s body, causing Crow Daddy’s car to crash and
killing him.
Anticipating Rose’s vengeance, Dan
decides to face her where his nightmare began: the now-abandoned Overlook
Hotel. He brings Abra with him, knowing that the haunted building is as
dangerous to Rose as it is to them. Dan awakens the hotel's dormant spirits and
sets the boiler to explode. In a deeply emotional moment, he confronts the
ghost of his father, Jack Torrance, and refuses to fall back into addiction.
When Rose arrives, she initially
gains the upper hand, but Dan unleashes the Overlook’s spirits from his mental
lockboxes. Attracted to her power, the ghosts attack and consume Rose. However,
they then possess Dan, attempting to use him to kill Abra and feast on her
steam. Dan manages to fight back, regaining control just in time to sacrifice
himself by letting the hotel burn down. As the fire consumes the building, Dan
experiences a vision of peace, seeing himself as a child being comforted by his
late mother, Wendy.
In the aftermath, Abra speaks with
Dan’s spirit, who encourages her to embrace her gift and continue to shine. She
reassures her mother that Dan and her father are at peace. In a final act of
courage, Abra faces one of the lingering ghosts from the Overlook and locks it
away, just as Dan once did.
0 Comments:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें