MovieChat Forums > Doctor Sleep (2019) Discussion > This movie doesn't even connect well wit...

This movie doesn't even connect well with the first one

posted 3 years ago by [deleted]
15 replies | jump to latest

In "The Shining" it's established that Overlook is so isolated that the cost of keeping the mountain roads open to reach it from the nearest populated area would be too expensive and it required a snow tractor to reach it in winter, but in "Doctor Sleep" they just drive right up to it in winter in an average two-wheel drive car, and when the Overlook begins to burn the emergency vehicles appear within minutes as if there's a downtown two miles away.

I didn't care how the Abra character was a super shining kid. It's some lame thing a guy like JJ Abrams would come up with for a sequel. Just make it bigger than the last time. You'd think Stephen King would be better than that.

Neither the book or the movie required a sequel at all.

[–] Nate Adams SA23 (896) 3 years ago

This movie is actually great as a stand alone movie. I enjoyed it in that sense. Hat lady was stunning and Ewan was great too. Just don’t think of The Shining and it will be ok.

[–] FootOfDavros (6719) 3 years ago

... when the Overlook begins to burn the emergency vehicles appear within minutes as if there's a downtown two miles away

Yeah, that was surely something of a goof.

Not necessarily the lack of impassibility as I don't think we have any reason to believe this is the middle of winter - so yes there might be some snow but we've no way of knowing if it's built up to Shining levels.

But the emergency vehicles shouldn't really have appeared within about a minute of the place going up in smoke!

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

If I was the director and I was asked these questions at a press junket:

i. Global warming. Whole glaciers in the Rockies have almost disappeared in the last several decades. Winters are warmer. The Overlook is probably more accessible than it was in the past.

Also, we don't know if it's still early in the winter season before the truly severe winter storms have settled in yet.

ii. In the 20+ years since the original adventure, it's not beyond the possibility that a community has established itself nearby. Possibly, it's more of a eco-tourist town that caters to people looking for winter fun... alpine skiing, cross-country, snowmobiling that sort of thing.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 2 years ago

I didn't care how the Abra character was a super shining kid.

You mean like how Danny is basically a super shining kid?

[–] Druff (1447) 2 years ago

It's easier to get to the hotel in winter now thanks to global warming.

EDIT: lol at the clown above who edited his post to make it look like he mentioned global warming before I did. XD

[–] diezman (1802) 2 years ago

I know it's cliche to say but the book was so much better than the movie.

Pretty much every Stephen King movie adaption comes up short compared to the book in my opinion.

Not saying that the movies are not enjoyable. I loved the Shining and 79's Salem's Lot. Yes, these movies left a lot out too.

[–] whynotwriteme (7121) 2 years ago

The ending of the movie kind of stole from the ending of the original book "The Shining", with all that boiler room stuff.

I agree that the only two decent King horror adaptions were 1980's The Shining and 1979's Salem's Lot. As for his non-horror, the adaptions are decent. Stand By Me, The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption are all good either in film or print.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8291) 2 years ago

It wasn't an adaptation but rather an original screenplay written by King, but Storm of the Century was pretty damn good.

Carrie (both the original adaptation and remake) and The Mist (2007) I thought were also pretty good.

[–] whynotwriteme (7121) 2 years ago

I had forgotten about Carrie. I like the original. Haven't watched the remake, but I find it hard to believe that pretty actress as a plain misfit. Never saw Storm of the Century, but I heard about the ending of The Mist and I don't want to watch it.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8291) 2 years ago

You really should check out Storm of the Century. It was a 90s made-for-TV mini-series, so the production values aren't quite theatrical quality, but it was well-made and the story is interesting.

[–] diezman (1802) 2 years ago

Storm of the Century is a truly disturbing mini-series. Good but disturbing!

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8291) 2 years ago

I agree! I can't even remember what it is that inspired me to watch it or how I found it, but I think I remembered it being a big thing when it aired in the 90s and I was like, "I should find that shit and check and it out."

I did and thought it was really good. Colm Feore gave a great performance as Linoge.

I own it now on DVD and should give it another watch soon.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 2 years ago

"Stealing" from the original novel was intentional. The writer/director intended it as a tribute to the original ending given that Kubrick's film altered the conclusion entirely. It was partly how he got King's blessing with this film actually. Which is why this movie functions as a sequel to Kubrick's film while also respecting both literary origins even though it had to sacrifice the book's ending in the process, which is honestly more superior, so I'm a little bit disappointed with that.

But when can you do? Kubrick left the Overlooking standing (and added in new horrors and stuff), so this director opted to include those references as homage.

[–] animal0mother (33) 7 months ago

This movie felt like an overlong season-finale episode of Grimm (2011-2017).
It merely used name recognition for its marketing.
I'm glad you recognize how much of a hack JJ Abrams is.

[–] AP (5258) 5 months ago

Jack and his family drove there in the original movie with a few Christmas decorations visible in the background. It wasn’t until much later in the winter that the roads were too snowed-over.