The Shining Movie Review

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
  Halloween draws closer, so naturally I’ve got another thriller to review for you guys today. You probably read the title to this post and can tell that movie is The Shining. You would think that being based on a mega-popular Stephen King novel would be enough for one film. But no, The Shining is also directed by Stanley Kubrick (2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, etc.) and stars Jack Nicholson. It almost seems too good to be true. 
​  This film is one that everybody seems to have seen at least once in their life. Whether it was as a kid, to the point where they don’t really remember it. Or as an adult forced to watch it by all of their friends who have seen it and loved it. 

  The Shining is a film deserving of its fame. So many people talk about how great this movie is. So much so, you would think that it can’t possibly live up to the hype. After all, what movie truly does? But you would be wrong. Incredibly wrong. 
  This movie is astonishingly captivating. Largely in part, due to the directing by Stanley Kubrick. The tone that he, unknowingly to the audience, builds throughout the film gets to be so palpable. With long shots that keep you on edge as they continue, you never know what’s going to be around the next corner. That is one of the things Kubrick excelled at. 
  He would craft these long monotonous shots that would be considered boring with any other film. Kubrick handles them so well and places them perfectly. That is one of the many reasons that Stanley Kubrick is considered one of the best filmmakers of all time. 
  The thing that really made me loved this film was you never truthfully know what’s happening and why. You get hints here and there, and if you take your time you can somewhat piece it all together. But ultimately, it’s all a mystery. Even up to the last shot of the movie. 
  The way Jack Nicholson portrays his character, Jack Torrence, is breathtaking. He starts out as this simple guy just looking for a job. Then you find out more information and wonder how simple he really is. His slow descent into madness is almost unnoticeable until it’s too late. 
  I did think the performance given by actress Shelley Duvall was less than stellar. It seemed like she was overacting most of the movie, and I really didn’t like her character. I believe it’s a character you need in a story like this, but she definitely could have been a more interesting character. Whenever the focus would leave Jack or his son and go to her, I would groan a little bit on this inside. The character could have been handled so much better. 
    At the end of the day, I find The Shining a masterful piece of cinema. It does have a few faults here and there, however, a lot of that can be forgotten because of Jack Nicholson’s performance and Stanley Kubrick’s directing. I love this movie!
9.5/10

So what do you think of The Shining? Is it among your favorite movie thrillers? Let me know by commenting on this post!

Thanks for stopping by!