Stanley Kubrick's Most Disappointing Film

Rating: Null/10 (21 October 2000)

"The Shining" is one of those films that looks like a sure-thing, but never does jell. Jack Nicholson stars as a struggling writer who agrees to become the caretaker of a summer resort hotel during the winter season. The longer he stays, the crazier he becomes. Now his wife and young son are in grave danger. Stanley Kubrick's screenplay is prodding, dull, and ultimately unsuccessful. However, I do not know of anyone who could have adapted Stephen King's unspectacular novel successfully. Nicholson tries hard, but he has no help and he almost makes the film succeed all by himself. Overly long and only average at best, "The Shining" is one of the biggest disappointments in the history of the cinema. 2.5 out of 5 stars.