This weekend, I saw “The Lazarus Effect” – I went in with low expectations.. how did it do? Let’s find out! (Spoilers, duh)
From masters of horror Blumhouse Productions- producer of THE PURGE, INSIDIOUS and SINISTER franchises- THE LAZARUS EFFECT follows a group of researchers led by Frank (Mark Duplass) and his fiancée Zoe (Olivia Wilde,) who’ve achieved the unimaginable- bringing the dead back to life. After a successful, yet unsanctioned, trial on a newly deceased animal, the team is ready to unveil their breakthrough to the world. When the dean of their university learns of their underground experiments, their project is unexpectedly shut down and their materials confiscated. (C) Relativity
I was fully expecting this to be a remake of “Flatliners” (1990) – and I wasn’t far off..
What the synopsis, above, does not go into, is what happens afterward… which is 90% of the movie. Zoe (Olivia Wilde) is killed trying to duplicate the experiment… and (fanfaire) brought back to life – or is it really her? Perhaps a demon spirit has replaced her and is wearing her body like a skin suit… that would seem likely, but they NEVER completely explain her going evil and killing her entire team (I did say Spoilers, right?)
This movie is rather predictable. Zoe’s fiancee ignores all logic to bring her back to life, bullying the team into participating. Jump scares galore. Faulty science. And why the hell are they using a computer controlled power grid to shock the bodies back to life? They have a fucking defibrillator.. they use the damned thing, at least, once. Oh yeah, to kill Zoe. Scientist doesn’t believe in god, scientist tries to play god, scientist / god / science/ blah blah blah
Honestly, the highlight of the movie was the first jump scare. The poor girl sitting across the aisle from me jumped out of her seat and threw her tub of popcorn everywhere.
**For those who don’t know: According to Christian Mythology, Lazarus was a man who Jesus raised from the dead.
