The Lazarus Effect

The Lazarus Effect is a smart, unsubtle chiller that should leave even a dedicated horror fan shaken and spooked from its opening scene’s revelations to its final scene’s implications.

It helps that Gelb shoots this less like a horror film and more like a drama. When the film does finally kick into overt horror, it becomes more familiar and less overall effective.

I would have loved to see more from the filmmakers, daring to fail while staking out some new terror incognita instead of just going through the motions of an experiment for which we already have the results.

While the monster Wilde is scary enough, the directing and writing is lazy, relying on “boo!” tactics and insinuating a religious subtext by cutting to close-ups of crucifix jewellery. The ending is slapdash.

The screenplay by Luke Dawson and Jeremy Slater begins promisingly enough with its slow-burn examination of the various moral issues involved. But once Zoe is resuscitated the proceedings descend into familiar horror film film tropes.

Despite classy lead performances by Mark Duplass and Olivia Wilde, the movie, from horror factory Blumhouse (known for cranking out sequels in the “Paranormal Activity” franchise, among others), relies too heavily on reanimated monster movie cliches and scientific gibberish to keep it alive.

There’s no doubt at all that the schlocky The Lazarus Effect should have been euthanized and shipped directly to video rather than haunting movie theaters, however briefly.

Acting was really good. Scares were really scary. The idea was great. Just an all around good time at the movies. I love Olivia Wilde and Mark Duplass was very good too.

The stimulated brain terrorising! Actually, this film was made before 'Lucy', but released after that. So I first saw that and now this. Basically, these two films are similar thematic, except the genres are different. I liked Scarlett's film, a very much enjoyable. This film too looked nice, and watching it after that makes to understand it better. I meant scientifically, rather than a supernatural way. So what's extra in this was the usual horror film style jumpy scenes, with loud and sudden sounds. Limited cast, and one day event based film. Not a bad writing or the direction and performances. The settings were perfect, and the film did not require strong graphics. The story followed a small medical researcher team who is working on a serum that brings the dead back to life. When their entire work was ceased by the company they were working for, they decide to recreate everything to prove its theirs. Then something goes wrong, following a series of destruction before it all ends. Like I said, it was more a science-fictional thriller than your regular horror film. But it borrowed the same style to present on the screen. The events are simple to understand, except that scientific thing. Because there won't be any difference for those who are weak in basic science. It'll be another normal boring horror flick. For me, it's an average film, watchable for once being short and well paced narration. 6/10

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Whilst Olivia Wilde tries her best to make this work, this film is thouroughly predictible and disappointing as a whole. The cast itself is quite good - but the writing is a major let down. The characters end up being clichés without it being blatantly intentional, like a less self-aware version of "the Cabin in the Woods". The scares aren't scary either; they mostly involve a few flashing lights with one character disappearing and reappearing with black eyes. In short; this was just boring.

It was okay... it wasn't long enough... and it didn't really go anywhere...didn't go the direction I would have expected. Kind of disappointed because I had such high hopes.