The Lazarus Effect (2015) [Blu-ray]
Horror | Thriller

A group of researchers led by Frank (Mark Duplass) and his fiancee Zoe (Olivia Wilde) have achieved the unimaginable: bringing the dead back to life. When Zoe is accidentally electrocuted in a horrific accident, Frank and his team use their experimental serum to resurrect her. But their attempt goes horribly wrong - unleashing terrifying powers within Zoe that put all of their lives in grave danger.

Storyline: THE LAZARUS EFFECT follows a group of researchers led by Frank and his fiancé Zoe 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. Frank, Zoe and their team take matters into their own hands, launching a rogue attempt to recreate their experiment, during which things go terribly wrong and one of their own, Zoe, is horrifically killed. Fueled by terror and grief, Frank pushes them to do the unthinkable: attempt to resurrect their first human test subject. Initially, the procedure appears a success, but the team soon realizes something is wrong with Zoe. As her strange new persona reveals itself, the team quickly becomes stuck in a gruesome reality. They are no longer faced with the question ... Written by Relativity

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman, June 17, 2015 -- Someone wasn't paying attention to what happened after the good Doctor Frankenstein screamed, "It's aliiiiive!" on that stormy night in the castle oh, so long ago. Needless to say, Frankenstein's reanimated monster didn't exactly go gentle into that good night, or in fact into that good day, for that matter, instead wreaking havoc (unintentionally, it must be added) and causing a general panic in the pitchfork and torches equipped populace. Men playing God, and specifically attempting to bring folks back from the dead, has been a long running trope in all sorts of media, and film is certainly no exception. While films like Frankenstein may revolve around a "monster," other, more contemporary, fare like Flatliners have tended to exploit both a more putatively scientific as well as (subtextually at least) religious aspect in exploring this provocative concept. Alas, The Lazarus Effect is largely content to whip up scattered scares with hoary clichés like booming low frequency bombasts erupting on the soundtrack unexpectedly at any given moment. Otherwise, this largely forgettable feature is in fact dead on arrival.

If you're old enough to recognize the name Barney Clark, you may understand some of the "medical" relevance of The Lazarus Effect's early setup. Clark was the first "successful" human recipient of a Jarvik 7 artificial heart (at my alma mater, the University of Utah, I'd like to point out), a mechanical device that was implanted into his chest to allow doctors time to supposedly find a human heart as a replacement. That same idea —extending life long enough to find a cure for whatever is ailing an individual—is the motivating factor behind a team of scientists developing a serum which can in fact "reanimate" the dead, at least temporarily, giving doctors a little time to develop alternative therapies.

The surname of Mary Shelley's immortal (sorry) doctor is perhaps winkingly alluded to in the first name of one of two scientists researching a serum code named Lazarus, a gooey white substance which has the ability to revive the recently deceased. That scientist is named Frank (Mark Duplass), a patently geeky guy who's over the moon with all the technology at his disposal. Somewhat more philosophical about it all is Frank's partner (professional and personal) Zoe (Olivia Wilde), a woman who tends to want to examine the moral underpinnings of "waking" those previously ensconced in supposed eternal sleep.

A rather long plot arc revolves around this pair, along with a small gaggle of acolytes, using the Lazarus serum to revive a dead dog. The dog does in fact jump back to life, but there's something not quite right about the canine upon its return, with the beast showing increased aggression to the point that Clay (Evan Peters), one of the assistants helping with the project, actually outright references Cujo. Before that little snarling problem can be solved effectively, the scientists are informed their project is being shut down (by a nefarious pharmaceutical company, not that there's any other kind in horror movies like this one). That leads them to try one more round of reanimation in secret, which is when all hell breaks loose when Zoe is accidentally electrocuted (in what might be another ironic reference to Frankenstein, with a lightning jolt killing rather than animating this time around).

It probably goes without saying that Frank decides to use the Lazarus serum on Zoe, and it's also probably no big surprise that Zoe does in fact come back from the dead—or wherever she was "visiting" (cue overweening LFE and scary music). In fact it's already been detailed that Zoe suffers from a recurring nightmare, something evidently tied to a tragedy in her childhood, a patently silly plot point that assumes some rather surprising (if ultimately needless) significance as the film unspools.

Much like the previously cute doggie, Zoe isn't quite the same as she used to be upon her "reawakening," and soon enough she's evidencing signs of telepathy and even telekinesis. Oh, and just for good measure her eyes go completely black, because—well, just because. The last act of The Lazarus Effect goes Grand Guignol without apology, with Zoe marauding her way through the rest of the scientists for no good reason other than that horror films need a body count.

The Lazarus Effect is resolutely predictable (down to and including its final "sting"), but there are some scattered shocks and scares to be had. Unfortunately almost all of them are the result of tried and true tactics like jump cuts with attendant booming LFE. That's one effect that will seemingly never die.

A game cast and appealing (if derivative) premise can't overcome a too predictable screenplay and a production which trades on booming sound effects for actual earned scares. Stick to Boris Karloff if you want to see some beast stumbling around after having been raised from the dead. Technical merits are first rate for those considering a purchase.

[CSW] -1.3- Good actors wasted on a silly juvenile horror flick plot. After spending about 45 minutes on bringing this dog they back to life they totally drops that plot line with absolutely nothing accomplished, and bingo, suddenly we're trapped in a dark lab with a violent crazy lady with super powers for another 45 minutes. Man, couldn't anybody think of some sort of decent plot, or what? This flick is just foolish nonsense.
[V4.5-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box motion codes were available at the time of this rental although they are available now.


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