Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Doctor Sleep Blu-ray Movie Review

Heeere's Danny!

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 30, 2020

Putting aside the whole "why bother?" argument, Mike Flanagan's Doctor Sleep is one of those perfect storms that, due to its history, lives inside a figurative mine field of potential fan backlash in two different mediums. Although based on Stephen King's much-anticipated sequel to 1977's The Shining, those less familiar with the books might be expecting a direct follow-up to Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror masterpiece...which King hated so much that he wrote a made-for-TV mini-series 17 years later. Add up all those unique elements and you've got a powder keg of fan expectations and very little room for compromise, so I wouldn't blame anyone for approaching Doctor Sleep with extreme caution.

That's what I did, and even with my expectations in check it was hard to fully appreciate the end result...yet Doctor Sleep still stands out as a memorable and good-intentioned sequel that almost equals more than the sum of its parts. Our main story follows the continued adventures of one Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor as an adult, Roger Dale Floyd as a child), now a struggling alcoholic who moves to New Hampshire in a continued attempt to run from his inner demons and suppressed "gift". Frequent visits from the ghost of Dick O'Halloran (Carl Lumbly) help Dan literally put his bad memories in a mental box, while other support comes from new friend Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis). Story B follows The True Knot, a roaming cult that feeds on young children with apparent psychic abilities. Led by Rosie the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), The True Knot soon senses the presence of Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran as a teenager, Dakota Hickman as a child), whose powers are so great that they hunt the girl down in an attempt to literally suck her spirit dry.

These stories eventually converge once Abra's telepathic thoughts reach Dan and her threatening pursuers goad him into action. The dead-end destination for both parties is The Overlook Hotel, which has been left to rot for some 30 years but still contains all the spiritual energy from Dan's traumatic youth. Along the way, we're treated to a number of physical and mental traps that play out as shrewd chess moves -- like Inception, but actually easy to follow. The film is also decorated with plenty of nostalgic window dressing, from generally decent flashbacks to heavier fan service that more or less re-creates about a dozen sets and moments from Stanley Kubrick's film. These "decorations" range from organic to eye-rolling, but one thing's for sure: Doctor Sleep wants to please everyone and won't, although anyone who keeps this in mind will find Doctor Sleep to be anything but a waste of 150 (or 180) minutes. It's rarely dull and only disappoints when lazily reaching for the low-hanging fruit of Xerox nostalgia like Steven Spielberg's underwhelming Ready Player One. Somewhere in the middle lie the performances of lookalike -- or sometimes soundalike -- versions of familiar characters including Wendy Torrance (Alex Essoe), Dick O'Halloran, and even Jack Torrance (Henry Thomas of E.T. fame); while serviceable enough, they so closely attempt to imitate Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Jack Nicholson that I hope they original actors -- or their families -- received some sort of residual payment.

Full disclosure: my first viewing of Doctor Sleep was via the Director's Cut, presented as a strong selling point of both this Blu-ray edition and the separately available 4K package. When viewed back-to-back with the shorter theatrical version, this 180-minute behemoth at least massages a few pacing issues and enjoys a smoother, more refined level of momentum from start to finish. Divided into six chapters, it can't help but feel more literary and even-handed in its overall presentation and, thanks to support from Warner Bros., is presented as a full-fledged alternate experience with completed visual effects, new soundtrack cues, and of course more character moments...as well as a few trims along the way. (More information is available here, including a statement from director Mike Flanagan.) Assembled during post-production alongside the theatrical cut, it feels like anything but a simple afterthought and, for many, will be the definitive version of Doctor Sleep. Don't get me wrong: there are still fundamental problems that remain...but it's safe to say that if you really liked the theatrical cut, you'll probably enjoy this version even more.

Warner Bros.' Blu-ray edition of Doctor Sleep presents both cuts of the film on separate discs in 1080p format. As expected, it's a great-looking (and sounding) release with absolutely top-tier A/V treatment including an enveloping Dolby Atmox mix that ranks among the best I've heard in recent memory. While the bonus features are a little slim on paper, it's understandable considering the amount of work put into the "extra" version included here. Bottom line: if you've seen and enjoyed Doctor Sleep already, you'll get more than your money's worth.

For those hung up on stars: This review's "Movie" score reflects my rating for the preferred Director's Cut, with the theatrical version scoring slightly lower. Their combined average would be closer to 3.5/5.

Doctor Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Doctor Sleep's mixture of serene and horrifying visuals comes through beautifully on Blu-ray, although the theatrical version is sourced from a 4K intermediate so it's scaled down quite a bit here. There's a tremendous amount of depth and fine detail at times, both from focal tricks and carefully-chosen color palettes that push and pull our eyes all around certain scenes. From the era-specific interior decoration of vintage 1980s flashbacks to the Overlook Hotel's crumbling remains, from peaceful outdoor landscapes to the warmly-lit childhood bedroom of Abra Stone, there's an awful lot to appreciate about Doctor Sleep's wide variety of locales and color schemes. It really runs the gamut with vivid hues, muted tones, and foreboding shadows that change appearance as much as the film changes moods, with the Blu-ray's 1080p transfer handling these smooth and harsh transitions almost perfectly. As expected, textures and overall clarity are extremely convincing almost every step of the way and, while this would never be mistaken for a 4K disc, Doctor Sleep often tests the boundaries of what even the most well-authored Blu-ray is capable of displaying.

And for those worried about a three-hour film -- shot in 1.85:1 with Dolby Atmos audio, no less -- being squeezed on a single disc, don't be: there are no obvious signs of compression artifacts and other related eyesores, aside from a few moments of banding when extreme color gradients are featured. For the most part, what's here is about as good as the format will allow, even though the separate 4K edition will obviously beat it for a number of reasons.

Doctor Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Clearly not to be outdone is Doctor Sleep's extremely effective Dolby Atmos audio mix, which wastes absolutely zero time getting right down to business. A number of heavy atmospheric effects are put to use almost constantly, from the perpetual beating heart -- used more sparingly during The Shining -- to less easily-defined atmospheric touches, which completely envelop the listener in a very convincing manner. Height channels are also put to good use here, but even those without the extra two channels will find the unpacked Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track to be a more than acceptable substitute. Doctor Sleep features occasional jump scares but relies more regularly on an unsettling overall presence; discrete channels follow suit by sneaking up on the listener rather than perpetually clubbing them over the skull with shock noises. Likewise, the LFE maintains a strong and consistent presence during many scenes but is not afraid to be a little more "showy" when the situation demands it. Of course, dialogue is almost always given top priority and it sounds great with no obvious sync issues or other defects...but Doctor Sleep is definitely atmosphere first and speech second, so it's good to know this Atmos track is one of the most robust and effective mixes I've heard to date.

Optional English (SDH) subtitle are included during the main feature and extras, as are a handful of foreign subs and dubs, all listed above. These are formatted perfectly with no sync issues and fit well within the 1.85:1 frame.

Doctor Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Doctor Sleep arrives in a two-disc keepcase with the Theatrical and Director's Cuts on separate Blu-rays, along with a Digital Copy redemption code and matching slipcover. All extras below are included on the Theatrical Cut disc.

• From Shining to Sleep (4:56) - Director Mike Flanagan and author Stephen King talk about the challenges of continuing a modern classic, differences between the two novels, Stanley Kubrick's movie, ending with fire and ice, resurrecting some of the original book's themes, and merging two (or three?) worlds.

• The Making of Doctor Sleep: A New Vision (13:57) - Flanagan and King -- along with actor Ewan McGregor, producer Trevor Macy, actresses Kyliegh Curran and Rachel Ferguson, costume designer Terry Anderson, and others -- return to speak about the film's development, sending the script to King, continuing Danny Torrance's story, bringing literary characters to life, casting Abra, finding Rose's hat, The True Knot, and more.

• Return to The Overlook (14:59) - Mike Flanagan -- with more of the usual suspects, as well as a few new ones -- speaks more about his first exposure to Kubrick's film on VHS, rebuilding and tearing down the iconic Overlook Hotel, production design highlights, hunting down a few vintage props, a quick set tour, casting familiar characters with different actors, makeup effects, frivolous nudity, and imitation vs. homage.

Doctor Sleep Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mike Flanagan's Doctor Sleep was doomed to disappoint at least part of its target audience, and in some ways the film's reach slightly exceeds its grasp. Fan service also borders on excessive, which extends to familiar "flashback" faces that eerily imitate their Kubrick counterparts. That said, the ambitious scope and general avoidance of typical horror clichés (or at least jump scares) all work in its favor, and even the 180-minute Director's Cut rarely drags from start to finish. It all adds up to a admirable but not wholly impressive production...even though, yes, it could have been much worse. Let's call it a slow-burning film that might get better on repeat viewings, no matter if you favor the theatrical version or the longer Director's Cut (both included here). Warner Bros.' excellent Blu-ray also has an outstanding A/V presentation and a few decent bonus features, making this a solid overall package that's well worth looking into.