• Home
  • Podcast
    • Specials
  • Interviews
  • Movie Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • DVD Reviews
  • Columns
  • News
    • TV News
    • Film News
    • DVD News
    • Online Entertainment News
    • Space News
    • Music News
    • On Stage
    • Geeky, Funny & Weird

Slice of SciFi

This is How We Geek Out: Interviews, Reviews & More

  • Writers, After Dark
  • The Babylon Podcast
  • Slice of SciFi TV
  • Charlie Jade Verse
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
Reviewing “The Lazarus Effect” Why are good horror movies becoming harder and harder to find?

Reviewing “The Lazarus Effect” Why are good horror movies becoming harder and harder to find?

March 2, 2015 By Daren Gulsvig Leave a Comment

Good horror movies seem to be a rarity these days. All too often the movie industry pumps out recycled rubbish that usually fails to deliver on its promise. In fact, there were approximately 50 horror movies released in 2014, which is a small number when you compare it to other movie genres. So why is it so hard to deliver a good scream? Have moviegoers become bored with overused horror clichés? Will we ever see another Exorcist? Who knows, maybe this is why we keep returning, hoping for that white-knuckle scare. You know, the kind of horrors that keep you up at night with your head tucked under the covers. Man, I really want that.

So, is The Lazarus Effect a white-knuckle ride? Um… no. The movie starts off with great potential but about twenty minutes in, the wheels fall off. This movie feels like an attempt to create a fresh approach to the Frankenstein narrative. The thought of what happens when someone is brought back to life after dying? That seems pretty scary right? So, why does this movie fail? For starters, the plot is a facsimile of many Hollywood horror flicks. Take three college kids, two adults, one greedy university/corporation, death and sprinkle in religious references and boom! You have the ingredients for a horror film. Don’t get me wrong I’m okay with redundancy in this genre if the end result is a good scare.

The Lazarus Effect has serious pacing issues, and pacing is paramount for a good horror movie. Olivia Wilde and Mark Duplass play scientists who are looking for a way to regenerate life after death. In this search, they get a University grant for their medical research. Aiding the research are college interns played by Donald Glover and Evan Peters. To document the scientific tests, the team also recruits a young videographer played by Sarah Bolger. (At first, I was worried this might turn into another found footage movie.)

Once the team revives a dead dog with the serum, a hell breaks loose. Along the way, Olivia Wilde’s character becomes the focal point when she is accidently electrocuted. In death we see Dr. Frank (Mark Duplass) attempt to resurrect her with the mysterious serum. After this predictable event, we see Olivia Wilde become the antagonist. Once resurrected, Zoe (Wilde) becomes possessed and proceeds to destroy everything in her path.

Since The Lazarus Effect takes place in one location (laboratory) the limitations of this environment seem to constrain the possibilities for any suspense. As a result, everything feels forced and badly timed. Maybe the singular set piece and paper-thin story made Director David Gelb resort to cheap lighting effects and loud music to create tension. I don’t know. This movie doesn’t provide any suspense or horror and in my book, that’s pretty scary.

The Lazarus Effect
1

Summary

Since The Lazarus Effect takes place in one location (laboratory) the limitations of this environment seem to constrain the possibilities for any suspense. As a result, everything feels forced and badly timed. Maybe the singular set piece and paper-thin story made Director David Gelb resort to cheap lighting effects and loud music to create tension. I don’t know. This movie doesn’t provide any suspense or horror and in my book, that’s pretty scary.

Share on X (Twitter)Share on LinkedInShare on FacebookShare on Email

Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: horror

About Daren Gulsvig

Related Posts

The Conjuring 2
Reviewing “The Conjuring 2”
Extraterrestrial
Discussing “Extraterrestrial” from The Vicious Brothers
Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
“Insidious: The Last Key”: More Boring than Thrilling

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Filter by Categories
Audio Productions
Awards News
Book News
Book Reviews
Columns
Comics News
DVD News
DVD Reviews
Entertainment Business News
Events
Fan Films
Fan Productions
Film News
Film Reviews
Gaming News
Geeky, Funny & Weird
Human Interest
Interviews
Music News
On Stage
Online Entertainment News
Science News
Slice of SciFi
Slice Video News
Space News
Specials
Technology News
TV News
TV Reviews

Slice

Follow Slice of SciFi

  • twitter
  • youtube
  • facebook

Listen to Slice of SciFi

  • iheartradio
  • playerfm

Subscribe to Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsiHeartRadioPodchaserTuneInRSS
  • Movie & TV Reviews

Father's Day - Deals on 4K UHD Collections

Recent Comments

  • Summer Brooks on “The Eagle Has Landed”: About the “Space: 1999” Documentary: “I definitely want to keep tabs on their progress in getting this one finished, too!”
  • Tim Callender on “The Eagle Has Landed”: About the “Space: 1999” Documentary: “While I’m sorry the Kickstarter didn’t fund, Jeffrey says that the interest generated by the Kickstarter has attracted the attention…”
  • Tim Callender on “The Eagle Has Landed”: About the “Space: 1999” Documentary: “What a great conversation! I’m looking forward to seeing the final film.”
  • Lou Tambone on Finding “The Joker”: Rich Handley and Lou Tambone on a complex villain: “Thanks! Always a pleasure!”
  • Sean on “Oppenheimer” is a cinematic tour de force: ““Tour de Force” is exactly what I said to the buddy who invited me to this as we left the…”
Tweets by Slice of SciFi
death to humans 160x600
Save 20 on all pre-order statues at TFAW.com!

Slice of SciFi
415 Pisgah Church Rd #302
Greensboro NC 27455
602-635-6976

Artwork:
Slice of SciFi spiral logo designed by Tim Callender

Theme Music:
Slice of SciFi music and themes
courtesy of Sci-Fried

Sister Sites:
Writers, After Dark
The Babylon Podcast
Charlie Jade Verse
Slice of SciFi TV

Slice

Copyright Slice of SciFi © 2005–2023 · WordPress · Log in