Doctor Sleep, directed by Mike Flanagan and based on Stephen King’s novel, is the sequel to the iconic The Shining. The movie, released in 2019, follows the story of Dan Torrance, the now-adult son of Jack Torrance, as he grapples with the trauma of his childhood experiences at the Overlook Hotel.
The film opens decades after the events of The Shining. Dan, played by Ewan McGregor, is a drifter haunted by the ghosts of his past, both literal and metaphorical. The Overlook Hotel, which nearly drove his father to madness and murder, still looms large in his psyche. Dan has inherited his father’s alcoholism, using it to suppress his psychic abilities—known as "the shining."
Dan eventually settles in a small town in New Hampshire, where he finds work as an orderly at a hospice. There, his psychic powers allow him to provide comfort to the dying, earning him the nickname “Doctor Sleep.” He befriends Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis), who helps him sober up, and for the first time in years, Dan finds a semblance of peace.
Parallel to Dan’s story, we are introduced to a sinister group known as the True Knot, led by the charismatic and menacing Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson). The True Knot is a cult of quasi-immortals who feed on “steam,” a psychic essence released when people with the shining die in pain. They travel across the country, seeking out children with the shining to sustain their long lives.
The True Knot’s activities catch the attention of Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), a young girl with an extraordinarily powerful shining. Abra's abilities far exceed those of Dan and most other psychics. She senses the suffering of the Knot’s victims, especially a boy named Bradley Trevor (Jacob Tremblay), whom Rose and her followers murder in a particularly brutal scene. Abra reaches out telepathically to Dan, seeking his help.
Initially, Dan is reluctant to get involved, fearing that confronting the Knot would drag him back into a world of horror he’s tried to leave behind. However, Abra’s determination and innocence compel him to take action. The two form an unlikely partnership, with Dan assuming a mentor role as they plan to take down the True Knot.
The battle between the Knot and Dan, with Abra’s help, becomes a central focus of the film. Rose, sensing Abra’s power, becomes obsessed with capturing her. The True Knot is in decline, their numbers dwindling as they struggle to find enough steam to sustain themselves, and Rose believes Abra’s power could rejuvenate them.
In one of the film's pivotal moments, Abra sets a trap for Rose, luring her into a psychic confrontation. Abra’s abilities are so potent that she manages to turn the tables on Rose, inflicting significant psychic damage. However, this only intensifies Rose’s desire to capture her.
The final act of the movie brings Dan and Abra to the Overlook Hotel, a place of unimaginable evil that has been abandoned but not forgotten. Dan believes that the Overlook holds the key to defeating Rose, as the hotel’s malevolent forces might overpower her. The return to the Overlook is fraught with tension as Dan revisits the site of his childhood trauma. The hotel is alive with the same malevolent spirits that tormented him and his family years ago.
Inside the Overlook, Dan confronts the ghosts of his past, including the spirit of his father, Jack Torrance (Henry Thomas), who tries to lure him into repeating his mistakes. Dan, however, resists the temptation and remains focused on his mission.
The showdown between Dan, Abra, and Rose is intense. Dan awakens the dormant spirits of the Overlook, who are hungry for fresh victims. They turn on Rose, overwhelming her with their combined power, and finally consume her. However, in the process, the Overlook’s malevolent influence takes hold of Dan, just as it did with his father years before.
In a final act of heroism, Dan sacrifices himself to save Abra. He sets the Overlook ablaze, ensuring that its evil cannot harm anyone else. As the hotel burns, Dan has a moment of peace, reunited in spirit with his mother, Wendy, and young Danny, symbolizing his redemption and the end of his haunted life.
The film concludes with Abra continuing her life, now without Dan’s guidance but having learned much from him. She speaks with Dan’s spirit, who encourages her to be brave and to use her powers for good. The final scene echoes the ending of The Shining, with Abra’s mother noticing her daughter talking to an unseen presence, realizing that Abra, like Dan, has her own path to walk with the shining.
Doctor Sleep serves as a bridge between past and present, blending horror with themes of redemption, trauma, and the enduring fight against evil. It honors the legacy of The Shining while carving out its own identity, balancing nostalgia with a fresh story. The film is as much about the journey of its characters as it is about the supernatural horrors they face, ultimately offering a story of hope and resilience in the face of darkness.
