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Released By: 20th Century Fox/Relativity
Released On: June 16, 2015
Director: David Gelb
Cast:Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Sarah Bolger, Evan Peters
Year: 2015
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The Film:
In an undisclosed university medical facility, a team of research scientists are making huge advances in the field of saving lives. Sweethearts Frank and Zoe, along with assistants Clay and Niko, have developed a serum that substantially increases the amount of time after the moment of death that a person can be safely brought back to life...risen from the dead. Though initial tests with the serum have been unpromising, the arrival of videographer Eva also brings about some success, in the form of a resurrected German Shepherd.
At first, it seems that champagne toasts are in order, but it becomes quickly evident that something is amiss. For one, the dog's pre-death cataracts have mysteriously cleared up, which would appear to be a good thing; but the other side effects have left their canine test subject uninterested in playing ball, eating, and engaging in other fun-time doggy activities. The pooch has also apparently gained the ability to open high-up cupboards, bare his teeth and growl menacingly, and respond to being taken home by Frank and Zoe by standing on their bed and staring at them in the middle of the night.
Unfortunately for the aspiring re-animators, their digital video footage is being leaked from the lab's servers, and the Dean gets wind of their experiments, reacting in horror to the ethical dilemma of "playing God". Simultaneously, a Big Pharma company takes over one of the sponsors of the program, and send their team in (led by a criminally under-used Ray Wise) to confiscate all of their research materials, obviously interested in furthering the research themselves. An elaborate plan to break back into the lab to videotape their results with the serum one more time to reveal their discovery to the world seems like a good plan, but an accident leaves Zoe dead on the floor from electrocution. Desperate to save the love of his life, Frank injects her with the serum and brings her back from death...but finds that he brought a lot more back into the world than just his girlfriend.
The Lazarus Effect has got a lot going for it at first glance. Well-shot and directed, the film makes good use of the limited settings that it employs, and builds tension nicely in the first act. The performances here are top-notch, though seeing Olivia Wilde in a medical setting makes you wonder when Hugh Laurie is going to show up and diagnose the entire situation brilliantly. Even Evan Peters, who I normally find grating, is good in this. Though the Life After Death/Playing God/Ethics and Mortality theme has been done plenty of times before, there's still room to grow with it, and the film sets the premise up nicely at the start. Add in corporate subterfuge and some genuinely squeamish moments, and it seems like a winner...but then it falls apart.
By the time Lazarus Effect really gets going, the filmmakers throw the promise of the first portion of the film straight out the window, and head right into the territory of overused nonsense that makes so much of modern horror derivative. Jump scares, shaky camera, and even black contact lenses (or maybe it's CGI now) show up in full force, delivering a cheap payoff in a loud envelope. Psychic phenomena transports characters between realities in a manner that's confusing, and the twist ending (which isn't much of a twist, really) nullifies the points made earlier in the film. It's almost as if an entirely different crew came in and took the film over, but sadly, probably just the result of somebody feeling that more action and excitement were needed. By the time it finishes, The Lazarus Effect leaves no lasting impression, joining the thousands of other nondescript modern horror films available.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The Lazarus Effect comes to blu-ray from Fox/Relativity in an impressive 2.40:1 transfer that looks fantastic. Deep blacks and a striking colour palette make the film pop off of the screen, with a clarity and level of detail that showcases the capabilities of the format.
Likewise, the DTS-HD 5.1 audio track makes heavy use of the surrounds and bass throughout the film, but not to a ridiculous extent. Dialogue is clear and well-balanced with the rest of the soundtrack, and creates an immersive audio experience.
There are a few supplements provided, starting with Deleted and Extended Scenes (4:25) that are worth watching for an extended head-crushing sequence.
Creating Fear: The Making of The Lazarus Effect (14:27) is a short featurette that includes Writer Luke Dawson and Director David Gelb, along with a number of cast members, discussing the ideas that led to the creation of the film and the comparison to classic horror like Frankenstein.
Playing God: The Moral Dilemma (7:46) is an examination of the ethics debate that the film may inspire, with various talking heads discussing life after death.
A Trailer and a preview reel for other releases is also included.
The Final Word:
Starting out with such promise, it's a shame that The Lazarus Effect wasn't able to deliver. If jump scares and the usual ho-hum effects are your bag, it's worth seeing.
