I … always called it shining – review of the movie “Doctor Sen”

Fear to be afraid

2019 can definitely be considered a successful year considering the premieres of horror movies. Of course, there were a few buggies, with a guaranteed place in the depths of oblivion, but next to them were also real gems, based on an interesting plot and implemented in a decent way. To the latter one can definitely include To 2 , which premiered in September, and therefore not so long ago. This production dealt with the sinister clown Pennywis once and for all. Of course, one could in this case be attached to certain aspects, because – let’s be honest – the sequel to a little stood out from the first part, nevertheless it 2was a successful production. Before we had time to enjoy ourselves and forget about the final battle with Pennywis the clown, another screening of Stephen King’s prose appeared on the screens. What’s more, this title was also a continuation of the hit, which previously celebrated its triumphs both in the field of literature and film. We are talking about the film Doctor Dream , the sequel to the iconic The Shining by Stanley Kubrick. It is worth adding that the 1980 version is not the only adaptation of the Shiningnevertheless, it is him that I will refer to. It would seem that the new production will not be easy to keep up with the title, which is still present in pop culture and I have the impression that it was a concern that accompanies many people. There were, however, a few factors which, at least to some extent, were very peaceful about the whole. Among them there was certainly a cast, both from the actors and the people responsible for the production. How did Dr. Sen ultimately fare, and is he a worthy heir to The Shining ? Let’s check.

Demons of the past

The director of Doctor Dream was none other than Mike Flanagan himself, a man who has made such productions as: The Haunted House on the Hill, Gerald’s Game and a number of other horror films, which is not without significance. It is worth adding that in the case of the sequel of The Shining, the filmmaker also acted as a screenwriter, and in fact he fulfilled both of these duties in at least a decent way. The right person was in the right place. The story outlined by him tells about the fate of an adult Dan Torrance, i.e. the son of John Torrance, played in Shining.by Jack Nicholson. Although it would seem that it will be difficult to cope with this task, as with the director’s position, the main role also went to the right person, namely Ewan McGregor. But going back to the plot, Danny is not doing very well after everything he has experienced. In childhood, for a long time after the events of the Overlook Hoteldemons of the past haunted him. The man has serious problems with alcohol, but he overcomes it when he arrives in the small town of Frazier in New Hampshire. There, too, he works as a nurse and, thanks to his power, helps the dying to leave this world peacefully. The situation becomes more complicated when he is contacted by a girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran), who also shines, but much, much more. In the meantime, we learn about a group of people endowed with similar power, who, however, use it for evil purposes and prey on the defenseless. In fact, we get to know them from the very beginning of the movie, but only then do we get a picture of who they really are. Unfortunately, they fall on the trail of Ara, who begins to play a dangerous game with them, involving Dan in her as well. Although they manage to partially defeat the “leeches”, in order to deal with their leader, played by Rebecca Ferguson – Rose Hat, they need something much stronger than themselves. To this end, Dan and Abra want to use the darkness hidden in a dilapidated hotelOverlook.

Here’s Danny!

I have to admit that Doctor Sen is one of those productions that can make hair bristle on the head. Wraiths, both those well known from The Shining, as well as new ones, seem to be constantly waiting for Dan, which made me wonder almost throughout the entire screening if something would appear in a moment. This constant, frightening specter of doom hangs over the characters, thus maintaining the viewer’s feeling of tension from the beginning to the end of the film. The adversaries of the main characters, despite the hunt they lead, are not as disturbing as supernatural monsters, which we do not know when we can expect. The actions of Dan and Ara in all this metaphysical noise are really nice to watch. The acting is undoubtedly an asset of the production, which is especially visible in the character played by Ewan McGregor. Mike Flanagan made sure that Danny’s character had something of a father, which is very suggestive in the scenes from the hotelOverlook , when young Torrance is handed an ax, similar to the one with which John tried to finish his family. The moment when the main character attacks Rose looks almost identical to the one when John cuts the bathroom door, where Wendy is hiding in The Shining. A bad word cannot be said about the main antagonist, too, saturated with cynicism and cruelty. It definitely outshines its kin, who are also trying to get the girl and take her life, and thus the shine. If I had to fault anyone, it would be Ara. At times I had the impression that her character was a bit exaggerated and in fact I am watching an adult person enchanted in a child’s body. Something is not quite right for me in the construction of her character. On the other hand, Mike Flanagan is referring to Kubrick’s film again, as can also be seen in the scene when Dan visits the bar where he is haunted by his father’s specter. It is almost a twin moment to the one experienced by John Torrance in The Shining. These few borrowings definitely add expressiveness to the sequel .

The world is a voracious place

The overall visual setting is at a very good level. Both the photos and the special effects make a very positive impression, although I must admit that I was a bit worried about the quality of the latter factor. Fortunately, it turned out that my doubts were completely unfounded. The camera work also deserves a huge plus, which also enhances the general atmosphere of darkness and, after all, madness, especially in the Overlook hotel . In this respect, the production of Mike Flanagan has not even the slightest problems. More importantly, it is only the sound that raises the feeling of horror in the film to its heights. The atmosphere draws heavily on the achievements of the first part and does it really well. The soundtrack is full of hair-raising songs and sounds that can scare even horror veterans.

Summary

Despite his fears, Doctor Sen can scare you, and can be considered a full-fledged successor to The Shining . Mike Flanagan’s production isn’t nearly as devastating as Kubrick’s film, and has a few minor issues, but it can be considered a must-have for fans of Stephen King’s horror prose. The action is consistent, the actors, with a few exceptions, play just fine, while the soundtrack itself sometimes knocks you off your feet.

We invite you to watch Doctor Sen in the Cinema City cinema network.