Review of The Shining (1980) by Stephen Z — 26 Nov 2015
For a horror film, "The Shining" is not truly scary. Not scary in the traditional sense anyway. There are no jump scares or brutal serial killers. However, "The Shining" is super creepy.
Tony. The Grady twins. Redrum. These just a few of the creepy elements of "The Shining". But perhaps what is most creepy is the things that are left unexplained. Is Jack insane or are there ghosts in The Overlook? Who or what is Tony? What role, if any, does reincarnation play in this film? Does Jack have the shining? While these mysteries are part of the fun and the legacy of "The Shining", ultimately, they leave too many things left unexplained for me to be completely satisfied.
But an excellent narrative and some great acting by Jack Nicholson more than make up for what this film lacks.
This review of The Shining (1980) was written by Stephen Z on 26 Nov 2015.
The Shining has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
