Mike Flanagan's adaptation of Stephen King's Doctor Sleep was an interesting foray into the world of the familiar character. But in the end, it was more of a sequel to Kubrick's The Shining than King's, as anyone who read the book will know.
Fans of King's work will spot more than a few differences between the book and the movie, but here are the top ten most glaring.
Several Characters are Missing
This is something bound to happen with any book to screen adaptation, but the choices made in Doctor Sleep have many readers scratching their heads.
The True Knot are noticeably thinned out and Abra's grandmother, who plays an important role in the novel, is virtually nonexistent save for her name. While it's understandable that some would have to be cut due to filmmaking constraints, some seem unwantedly absent.
Unneeded Character Deaths
This will come back later on the list, but one thing readers of the original novel will notice is the body count. Not that the book didn't have several characters die off either at the hands of the True Knot or through some other means, but the film simply kills off the wrong characters.
The horror elements seem to be where both book and movie are split the most, and fans can't and won't ignore glaring additions like character deaths.
Dr. John and Billy Were more Involved in the Fight
Along with a complete makeover for Billy Freeman, the group of main characters has been altered with the elimination of Dr. John from the fight against the True Knot.
In the book, Dan, Billy, and Dr. John embark on the fight against Rose and her gang right after finding Bradley Trevor's body, but the movie uses Dan and Billy alone. Dr. John's part has been so diminished that he only appears in the first and final acts.
Abra’s Imagination is more of a Fantasy
Some things are harder to adapt to the screen than others, that's forgivable. But what's not forgivable in the eyes of the readers is the weak-sauced version of Abra's mental security system.
In the book, Abra's imagination transforms her into a warrior maiden who mops the floor with Rose the Hat. The movie changes her into an eye-less anime action figure, which is unnerving, but not what readers wanted to see.
Rose Feels a Little Watered Down
Rose the Hat is one of the most memorable elements of the movie, and she's portrayed absolutely beautifully by Rebecca Ferguson.
While Ferguson is amazing in the role, there's a certain magical element lost in her presentation. She can be intimidating and powerful, that's for sure, but her mystical and bewitching presence is lost in favor of more horror-based elements.
Rose’s Hat is Practically a Character
One thing cut from the movie that was practically the symbol of the entire novel was the ethereal presence of Rose's top hat in both Dan and Abra's visions.
It was seen on the street, in the gutter (a la Pennywise), and various other dreamscapes as a foreboding omen of death. Rose wears her hat religiously, but that's the extent of the concept. It's definitely a detail readers noticed
Tony and the Shining are the Same Thing
While it could be said this was already established in the first film by Kubrick, but this film establishes that Dan's "friend" Tony was his Shining manifesting itself.
In the book, however, Tony was his own character, acting as the training wheels for a young Danny's psychic abilities. Call it splitting hairs, but it's still a different representation of the Shining itself.
The True Knot Are Less Conspicuous
While the bohemian style of Rose and the True Knot is certainly distinct and memorable, that's not what they were trying to go for in the book.
Except for characters like Rose, Grampa Flick, and Crow Daddy, the True Knot wore more inconspicuous street clothes. Aside from certain character details, they were meant to hide in plain sight, while the movie version could easily be picked out in a line-up.
The Kubrick Throwbacks
In the book, the Overlook was destroyed, hedge maze and all, and the final battle took place in its resting place. The film ignores that entirely and uses not only the haunted hotel, but various angles, visuals, and other such nods to Kubrick's original film.
There's no other way to say it. The film version of Doctor Sleep is more Kubrick than it is King, like The Shining before it.
The Ending
And the audience collectively groans at the mere mention of the film's ending. The ending is where the book and movie are two separate entities. Everything from Dan's sacrifice onward most certainly did not happen in the book, which should have been the true ending.
Dan should have set fire to Rose's hat, complete his AA, and form a mentor relationship with Abra. But an explosive self-sacrifice probably sells more tickets.