The Lazarus Effect

Name: The Lazarus Effect
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Released: February 27, 2015
Duration: 83 min
Rating: 31
Cast: Evan Peters, Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Sarah Bolger

2015

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 102 Ratings

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4.8

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4.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 102 Ratings

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The Lazarus Effect

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Movie Details & Credits

Relativity Media | Release Date: February 27, 2015 | PG-13

Starring: Evan Peters, Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Sarah Bolger

Summary: Frank (Mark Duplass) and his fiancée Zoe (Olivia Wilde) have 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 projectFrank (Mark Duplass) and his fiancée Zoe (Olivia Wilde) have 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 (Donald Glover, Sarah Bolger and Evan Peters) 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 of whether they can bring someone back to life, but rather, the wrath of her return.… Expand

Director: David Gelb

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 83 min

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Critic Reviews

James Rocchi

Feb 26, 2015

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. Read full review

Claudia Puig

Feb 26, 2015

With its homages to "Frankenstein," "The Exorcist" and "The Shining," director David Gelb's The Lazarus Effect is at least smarter and tenser than last year's crop of tame horror films. Read full review

Kevin C. Johnson

Mar 5, 2015

For the hour or so it’s on screen it’s a harmless, little chiller that doesn’t scare much but serves as a holdover until something truly scary comes along. Read full review

Brad Wheeler

Feb 26, 2015

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. Read full review

Ben Kenigsberg

Feb 26, 2015

Despite eclectic casting and occasional experiments with objective camera, the director, David Gelb (“Jiro Dreams of Sushi”), can’t breathe similar life into this risible mix of pseudoscientific hokum and supernatural freakouts. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Mar 1, 2015

The Lazarus Effect is nothing but a cheap horror film cloaked in scientific mumbo-jumbo. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

Feb 26, 2015

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. Read full review

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User Reviews

luckymisclicks

Mar 10, 2015

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.

2 of 8 users found this helpful26

Meth-dude

Sep 26, 2016

The acting was good, the premise was interesting and the movie was entertaining. Even if the CGI effects were not very good, the movie was predictable at times and the ending was silly, it was still a good, entertaining horror flick.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

horcrux2007

Feb 28, 2015

This movie promises the audience very little, and it delivers the good mildly well. What drew me to this film was the very limited scope (the whole plot takes place in one laboratory) and the interesting cast. Olivia Wilde was definitely the strongest aspect of the movie, and she made thisThis movie promises the audience very little, and it delivers the good mildly well. What drew me to this film was the very limited scope (the whole plot takes place in one laboratory) and the interesting cast. Olivia Wilde was definitely the strongest aspect of the movie, and she made this so much better than it could have been. Wilde gave a subtle and very unsettling performance to make her character very memorable. Sarah Bolger was another strong part of the cast, and she gave it her all when her character is being stalked by a demonic Olivia Wilde. The rest of the actors were decent yet forgettable. This movie has a lot of great ideas, but there wasn't any room for any of those ideas to fully develop themselves due to the criminally short 83 minute running time. Had the movie been about 15 minutes longer, those themes could have been developed better. There is a twist at the end of the movie that does explain a few of the more questionable plot points. I jumped a few times, I cringed a few times, and I rolled my eyes a few times, but the Lazarus Effect does its job in a decently creepy yet forgettable fashion.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

SolInvicta

May 24, 2015

The Lazarus Effect tries to be original by borrowing ideas from a plethora of other horror movies. It winds up being an unoriginal and unscary waste of a great cast.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Chowda

Aug 7, 2015

I don't understand. When people write scripts and then start directing......Do they not have a guy that says "Uh....well that doesn't make any sense." This movie seems like it was based on a pretty good idea but the execution and writing were horrible.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

ArcanaThe4th

May 31, 2019

This movie had a few good ideas. These few ideas and moments are the only reason I'm not giving it a zero, because it is stupid in everything else. Execution, plot, etc, you've probably seen it already and you'll just be frustrated by it here.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Thegodfatherson

Feb 28, 2015

The Lazarus Effect feels like a movie that was ripped straight off of a pastor's VCR. And while it delivers laughable acting and bad scares, the religon that is injected into this movie is depressing. This is if The Last Exorcism met Spit On Your Grave, both terrible movies. Olivia Wilde wasThe Lazarus Effect feels like a movie that was ripped straight off of a pastor's VCR. And while it delivers laughable acting and bad scares, the religon that is injected into this movie is depressing. This is if The Last Exorcism met Spit On Your Grave, both terrible movies. Olivia Wilde was dragged into this mess, she is a good actress, but TLE proves even her wrong. This movie is not scary, there are a few jumpscares and exorcism stuff, but all are used at the WRONG time. Its like Paranormal Activity 4, where even the boyfriend gives her girlfriend an unexpected jumpscare that detracts from the movie itself. Horrible and unambitious, The Lazarus Effect is another royal turd of 2015. Bravo.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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