Review of The Shining (1980) by Thequietgamer — 16 Oct 2016

Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is a fascinating movie. Both in content and in history. Based on the Stephen King novel, this now horror classic was met with some not so great reception upon it's initial release. King himself has been vocal about his lack of satisfaction with the changes made to his source material. Saying how some it's important themes were missing in this adaption. Yet, today it stands as one of the most celebrated films in horror. Interesting indeed.

It's not hard to see why it's so celebrated today. I just find it hard to wrap my mind around why it's legacy is now so different than how it was viewed upon creation. Well, enough of that. Time to get on to the actual review.

The Shining stands as an excellent example of how to build up tension. It's odd moments and slow pace add a sense of believability to the mix that make it all the more compelling. The tale itself is filled with many mysteries to keep viewers engaged. The cast is pretty darn excellent.

The movie is worth watching for Jack Nicholson's performance alone. We all know Nicholson can play a crazy person with ease. It's his ability here though, to play a complete nutcase with moments of sheer lucid madness, that really sells the whole thing. There are moments where Nicholson's character is clearly out of his mind. Yet, there are other dispersed in where he appears to be totally in control of his own thoughts. Well aware of the consequences and moving forward anyway with only the slightest bit of manipulation. It's these moments where he comes off as the most menacing. He's a very charismatic psychopath.

The supernatural elements are where the real madness comes from. Psychic powers, ghostly visions, and otherworldly entities at play leave plenty for you to dwell on. They also may leave you with a few frustrations. I know they did for me at least.

There's plenty going on here that is oh so very vague. Some stuff is left open to interpretation, which isn't exactly a problem. There are however important elements of the plot that just don't get touched on. For example, what's the story with the boy living in Danny's mouth? It's pretty darn significant to the plot. Yet, we're given next to no information about it. This wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't tied directly to some of the movie's most important moments. The lack of any sort of insight had me wanting to tear my hair out in frustration at times.

That's really the only issue I can find with it. The Shining is simply a great psychological horror-thriller. One filled with odd moments, compelling drama, and a stunning central performance from Jack Nicholson. It stands one of the most interesting films I've ever watched. One worth searching over multiple times to pull out new secrets. Even if you aren't the type to really dive into analyzing films, it's a great horror film on it's own. Perhaps not a very scary one, but still filled with enough mystery to make for a gripping ride. One with plenty of tension.

8.