Plot: A group of young scientists (and a film maker) make the mistake of raising the dead with a procedure.
We all know that Hollywood (and Bollywood) have come out with numerous films in the past in which lots of people have tried to bring the dead back to life (none of that ever turned out too well) and have alot of consequences as a result of that decision.
David Gelb, the Jiro Dreams of Sushi documentary genius, has directed this film.
The movie has been made within the confines of a ( nice looking, updated on latest equipment) laboratory in California, and it revolves around two scientists who want to experiment with the dead.
The lead roles have been played by Frank (Mark Duplass) and his philosophical wife Zoe (Olivia Wilde). Their videographer Eva (Sara Bolger) is the one who is documenting all their experiments.
Their study begins (and begins to be recorded as well) as an effort to prolong the time-window in which a recently deceased person can be revived, paving a way for near-death experiences as well as bringing back the dead from the ‘afterlife’.
Their first experiment happens to be on a dog, and surprisingly, with a glob of white serum and a well-timed jolt of electricity, he is brought back into the world once more. But this time around, something isn’t right.
The dog soon begins to act weirdly, having a sad facial expression (which he had never donned before) and exhibiting aggressive behaviour most of the time.
Zoe starts to think that they have ripped him out of ‘doggy heaven’, and that maybe, he could have been in someplace better, but he was brought back by the use of their experimentation.
Tension soon arises as a university gets an idea of their on-going activities, and they promptly urge the shutting down of the project.
Fortunately, however, they manage to hold onto a batch of serum (the last one which is to cause the rest of the problems) and they decide to replicate the experiment under the cover of the night.
However, in a fatal accident, Zoe is electrocuted (she forgets to take off a metal ring a metal ring) and becomes the subject instead.
Her husband now wants to bring Zoe back from the dead, as he cannot bear the pain of losing her.
One Zoe is resuscitated, however, the proceedings descend into horror-film tropes, with Zoe being haunted by memories from her past.
It seems to Zoe that she has been trapped in the alleged ‘afterlife’ since years, whereas her husband tells her that she has been through a lot and is tired, and should rest.
Soon after, Zoe starts hearing voices in her head, of people talking around her, and she can tell what someone is thinking. Zoe soon realizes that there is something wrong with her, and tries to warn her husband, who doesn’t believe her (as was expected).
Running for 83 minutes, the Lazarus Effect is one of the best horror flicks that I have come across, and should be watched by horror fanatics! It serves as a good pass-time for people who are science-buffs and horror movie-buffs.
Production: Blumhouse Productions, Mosaic Media Group
Cast: Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Donald Glover, Evan Peters, Sarah Bolger
Director: David Gelb
Screenwriters: Luke Dawson, Jeremy Slater
Producers: Jason Blum, Jimmy Miller, Cody Zweig
Executive producers: Matt Kaplan, Jeanette Volturno-Brill, Luke Dawson, Gloria Fan