The underrated sequel to a horror classic is now streaming on Max

The Shining is one of the greatest horror films of all time. Some may think its overrated, but it's hard to deny the impact, the iconography, and the lasting appeal of Stanley Kubrick's 1980 masterpiece. It would be a fool's errand to think that anybody could make a worthwhile sequel, right?

Well, Mike Flanagan proved just about everybody wrong. Doctor Sleep was pitched as a direct sequel to The Shining, just as the source novel was a sequel to Stephen King's original Shining novel. And it's somehow way better than anybody thought it would be. You are in the majority if you missed the film the first time around, in 2019, but its currently streaming Max, and you need to see it right now.

Doctor Sleep underperformed at the box office in 2019

The real magic trick of Doctor Sleep is the fact that it tackles the iconography of its predecessor head on, without giving into it. So many legacy sequels becomes slaves to what came before, and wind up feeling like bad karaoke. This has become the case especially, when it comes to the legacy sequels that rely on de-aging veteran actors so they provide the viewer with sweet hits of nostalgia.

The recent Halloween trilogy, which started out strong in 2018, succumbed to this pitfall the further it went on. It got to the point where the franchise was bringing anyone and everyone back so they could get viewers to indulge in "member berries." Doctor Sleep doesn't do this.

The Shining sequel has developed a cult following

Sure, Mike Flanagan recreates some of the iconic scenery and moments from The Shining, but he makes the bold choice of not deaging the original actors, or recycling footage using CGI. He casts new actors to recreate moments from the 1980 film, which gives Doctor Sleep its own aesthetic and tonal continuity.

Everything here feels contained. And what's here is superb. Ewan McGregor and Kyliegh Curran are marvelous as the main characters. The actors brought in to play characters we knew and loved from The Shining also excel, but the real scene-stealer here is Rebecca Ferguson. As Rose the Hat, she's utterly compelling from the moment she appears onscreen.

The Shining is a Halloween staple in many households, and for good reason. If you have the time, though, we suggest rolling the dice on something new and adding Doctor Sleep to the docket.