“Doctor Sleep,” the long awaited sequel to the 1980’s hit horror movie, “The Shining”, came out Friday, Nov. 8. As most people know, sequels can hardly live up to the original. So I’m sure you’re wondering, is this movie worth it to see?

     “Doctor Sleep” doesn’t hold a candle to the original, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of watching. Scoring a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, 7.7/10 on IMDb, and 60% on Metacritic I’d say it’s definitely worth seeing. 

      We again meet protagonist Danny Torrance, played by Ewan McGregor, who as a child was tormented by ghosts at the Overlook Hotel. Growing up, he is still haunted by his past. After his mother’s death, he turns to alcohol, but eventually finds sobriety in a small New Hampshire town. He left his past behind him, including his ability to see ghosts, which he calls the shining. He is given a rude awakening when he runs into a young girl with similar powers to his. He finds himself tasked with protecting her from a violent cult who call themselves The True Knot and who prey on gifted children in order to remain immortal. Danny must face his demons, but maybe the end is where it all started…

     As a fan of horror movies, I found this movie to be more of a thriller than a horror movie. What was really great about this movie is that it wasn’t just a rehash of the original. It had some classic characters and classic moments, but it told a new story. There surprisingly wasn’t much of a sensory overload of blood, swearing, and nudity (three common traits of a Stephen King movie). While it’s still got some rather gory moments, it wasn’t just gore for the sake of gore. It had a meaning, a rather terrible meaning, but it added to the story. It may not have been a scream out loud kind of movie, but it most certainly will keep you on the edge of your seat.