Everyone’s a little different than the rest of the world, some even more than others. Dan Torrance, the main character of Stephen King’s latest thriller, Doctor Sleep, is be able to relate. He possesses an extraordinary gift called the “shine”, which allows him to see the past and predict the future, as well as communicate with others who have the “shine” telepathically. In the stunning sequel to Stephen King’s, The Shining, a man struggles with extreme post-traumatic stress disorder, what seems to be monsters from his past, and learns to overcome them.

Doctor Sleep takes you into the world of Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor), a struggling alcoholic whose memory is plagued by the sinister events of his past. Dan has never felt normal. Ever since he was a boy, he knew he had a peculiarity. He could see things that weren’t really there, as well as communicate with them. He also experienced events from the past, as if they were his memories, even though he was never actually there. He thinks he’s all alone his whole life, until one day he gets a life-altering voice in his head that says three simple words; “Hi Uncle Dan”. The voice belongs to a little girl, Abra, who also has the “shine”, and is speaking to him telepathically. She tells him about a powerful woman who possesses the gift as well, but uses it for evil. This woman known as Rose the Hat, (Rebecca Ferguson), is killing other “shiners,”stealing their shine to make herself more powerful. Rose and her crew can live for a long time, but they’re not immortal. The people who have the shine are the only ones who can defeat her, so Abra believes that it’s up to her and Dan.

This movie not only scared me, but it also shocked and sickened me with all of the gore it presented. Even though the film is stomach-churning at times, it also has a few classic jump scares and surprising twists that will make audiences squirm in their seats. Since this movie is a sequel, I would highly recommend watching The Shining first. Although this movie is a new storyline, there are some components in it that relate to the first movie. Overall, I’d say watching this movie was a very thrilling experience, and something that I can see myself rewatching. In my opinion, Stephen King is a horror genius and I can’t wait to see what he thinks of next.