Disturbing horror sequel to 1980's "The Shining"
finds the psychic little boy of that film grown into a troubled hospice orderly
(Ewan McGregor) who unites with a similarly gifted teen girl (Kyliegh Curran)
to combat an occult band of wanderers (led by Rebecca Ferguson) who torture and
murder clairvoyant kids and use their life essence to keep themselves young.
Working from the 2013 novel by Stephen King, writer-director Mike Flanagan
takes his time and effectively builds up a macabre mood. But the unsettling
premise and intermittent graphic mayhem make his polished movie appropriate for
few.
Watch out for: An occult
theme, scenes of harsh, gory violence, including the torture of a child, some
gruesome sights, drug use, full female nudity in a nonsexual context,
off-screen casual sex, at least one profanity, a couple of milder oaths,
several rough terms, occasional crude and crass language.
Rated: L, limited adult
audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling;
MPAA: R
© Arlington Catholic Herald 2019