One of the greatest horror movies ever made

Rating: 9/10 (5 October 2002)

Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" is one of the greatest horror movies ever made. Sure, you could say it is not faithful enough to Stephen King's book, but it is still excellent. The fact that it isn't faithful to the book is actually somewhat of a good thing, because it makes it a work of its own.

"The Shining" has excellent build-up that is rarely seen in horror movies. Some complain that it is too slow, but really, it is perfect pacing. The problem that I see with most horror movies is that they try too hard to be scary at all times. In this film, however, every minute in the story is another piece added to the puzzle that will eventually become one of the most intense climaxes in the history of cinema. That isn't to say it is not scary until the climax. It is actually scary throughout most of the entire movie. The build-up is so strong, so suspenseful, that it makes it scary.

Stanley Kubrick's direction adds to the creepiness of the film. It is brilliant, to say the least. There are certain shots in this movie that are true cinematic masterpieces. Well, what did you expect from a legendary director such as Kubrick?
Shelley Duvall's acting is the worst part of the movie. Her acting is the main reason I didn't give this movie a 10 out of 10. Her acting sometimes ruins the disturbing atmosphere of the film. Jack Nicholson's acting is another story. His performance is as scary as they get. He has the power to make us really believe that he is a complete psycho, especially in the last half hour or so of the film.
So to sum it up, "The Shining" is a horror classic that delivers the goods.