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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 Critics

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 96 Ratings

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4.8

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4.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 96 Ratings

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The Lazarus Effect

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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Awards & Rankings

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

TheWrap 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

USA Today 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

St. Louis Post-Dispatch 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

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) 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

New York Post 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

SEE ALL 29 REVIEWS

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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

gamedevilbee

Sep 24, 2018

สิ่งที่ชอบในหนังเรื่องนี้ ตือการแสดงของสาว Olivia Wilde เล่นได้ร้ายและโหดสะใจมาก จริงๆในเรื่องนางสวยมากด้วยนะ
แอดก็อยากให้นางเล่นบทร้ายชักเรื่องจัง
เลยทำให้หนังน่าสนใจและสนุกขึ้น ประเด็นหนังที่ใส่ในหนังเรื่องนี้ มันจะเกี่ยวกับ ความเชื่อศาสนา โลกหลังความตาย กับ วิทยาศาสตร์สิ่งที่ชอบในหนังเรื่องนี้ ตือการแสดงของสาว Olivia Wilde เล่นได้ร้ายและโหดสะใจมาก จริงๆในเรื่องนางสวยมากด้วยนะ
แอดก็อยากให้นางเล่นบทร้ายชักเรื่องจัง
เลยทำให้หนังน่าสนใจและสนุกขึ้น
ประเด็นหนังที่ใส่ในหนังเรื่องนี้ มันจะเกี่ยวกับ ความเชื่อศาสนา โลกหลังความตาย กับ วิทยาศาสตร์ ถึงแม้หนังจะไม่ให้คำตอบที่ชัดเจนมากแต่ก็ทำออกมาน่าสนใจดี
ส่วนบรรยากาศหนังก็ทำได้ออกทำไม่ค่อยน่ากลัวเท่า่ไร
แต่มันเล่นกับความมืดได้ทำให้เราลุ้นได้ไม่เบาเลย
ด้านสกอร์เพลงประกอบ แอดชอบมากมาเป็นพิเศษเลย
มันมีความลึกลับตอนต้นๆ แล้วมาค่อยๆน่ากลัวดาร์กๆขึ้นเรื่อย
บวกกับ Sound ล้ำๆโหดๆหน่อย ทำให้สกอร์นี้ดูไม่ธรรมดาเลย ข้อเสีย
บทของหนังในช่วงหลังดูผีบ้าผีบอมาก ไม่ใช่มันดูตลกนะ มันดูบ้าหลุดออกทะเลมากพอสมควร สำหรับแอดคิดว่ามันสะใจดีนะ แม่งบ้าดี 555+… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

quincytheodore

May 11, 2015

Olivia Wilde breathes life to a predictable premise. With a title like The Lazarus Effect, audience would know what to expect and the movie doesn't disappoint in this regard. It dabbles in resurrection theme, moral ambiguity and the usual possession angle. It's not even presented in largeOlivia Wilde breathes life to a predictable premise. With a title like The Lazarus Effect, audience would know what to expect and the movie doesn't disappoint in this regard. It dabbles in resurrection theme, moral ambiguity and the usual possession angle. It's not even presented in large scale or big budget, but what separates the movie with the rest are the performance of the actors, especially Olivia Wilde, and its modest yet effective presentation.

A group of scientists stumble upon the serum which can prolong life. However, the result is not exactly what they expect and to make matter worse the university plucks their funding after some moral issue. Desperate to reclaim their experiment, they try to salvage it only to end up in much sinister situation. Fans of the genre might recognize the typical plot point here. The movie happens almost exclusively in the small confine of the laboratory and it makes the best of it.

Mark Duplass as Frank is the lead male, he's pretty invested in this endeavor even to the point of illegality. Duplass gives convincing portrayal of ambitious doctor while also delivers a few intrusive perverse thoughts. The cast is relatively small and they perform capably. The supporting characters offer consistent personalities, but the material could've explored them more.

Olivia Wilde carries the movie beyond what expected from it, simply by giving wide range of emotions to the character. She begins as a stressed doctor and wife, then delves further into deep-rooted negativity. At one point she looks like a frightened victim and the next she turns remorselessly savage with a hint of seductive glare. This constant change could implore sympathy yet also eerily creepy.

The scares are mostly all right, though some predictable jump scares are still shoehorned in. Cinematography keeps a steady contrast between light and dark, occasionally painting the scenes with vivid color for more psychological trip. Some of the horror is on point, but few admittedly miss the suspense it has already set with pedestrian gore.

While The Lazarus Effect doesn't create novel view, Wilde's capable lead ushers it into the realm of above average horror.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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

Stargirl04

May 15, 2016

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.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Chaeote

Jul 9, 2015

Pet Cemetery meets SCIENCE!!

plus, a really **** boring ending...
and horrible editing...

and no continuity...

Sarah Bolger was hot as hell though...so, +1 point

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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