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'Flatliners' turns near-death into a flat experience
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Ellen Page in a poster for 'Flatliners.' (facebook.com/FlatlinersMovie/File)
T
hose familiar with the 1990 science-fiction horror film Flatliners directed by Joel Schumacher (The Number 23, Batman & Robin) are probably quite excited by the release of its remake, helmed by Niels Arden Oplev (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).
Unfortunately, the 2017 Flatliners shows that sometimes near-death experiences can be rather dull.
Based on the same story written by Peter Filardi over a decade ago, the new film follows five medical students — Courtney (Ellen Page), Marlo (Nina Dobrev), Sophia (Kiersey Clemons), Jamie (James Norton) and Ray (Diego Luna) — who become obsessed with finding out what happens after you die.
They decide to conduct experiments in which they “flatline” one of their own, stopping the heart for a short period of time before reviving it.
Initiated by Courtney, the dangerous experiments are conducted in an unused area of the group’s teaching hospital.
After flatlining and being brought back to life, Courtney is able to recall hidden memories of her past and suddenly turns into a brilliant student who can answer difficult questions from her supervisor Dr. Barry Wolfson (Kiefer Sutherland, one of the stars of the original movie).
But crossing the line between life and has its side effects as Courtney starts to see and hear her dead sister.
Read also: ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ delivers fun, thrilling adventure
Seeing the effects of their experiment on Courtney, other members of the group insist on undergoing the procedure. Soon after, however, each becomes haunted by the guilt of their past.
Flatliners begins with a shocking scene but quickly goes flat – and remains that way through the rest of the movie. Though some scenes may excite those who enjoy loud sounds and jump scares, most will leave you with more questions.
The movie also feels redundant as it seems to repeat the same scene over and over again. But fans of the first film may find Sutherland in his cameo role a welcoming addition – even though he serves no other purpose than to spur the competition between his grade-obsessed students. (kes)
