Taglines: You haven’t lived until you’ve died.
Courtney (Ellen Page), is obsessed with the idea of the afterlife, wanting to find out what happens after death. She invites fellow students Jamie (James Norton) and Sophia (Kiersey Clemons) to join her in an experiment, in an unused hospital room: using defibrillation to stop her heart for sixty seconds whilst recording her brain, and then reviving her. She assures them they would not be held responsible for any accidents. Sophia is against this, but Jamie does it anyway. After sixty seconds, they panic as they are unable to revive her, but eventually manage to with the help of fellow student Ray (Diego Luna). Later, Marlo (Nina Dobrev), a rival of Ray, arrives and learns of the experiment.
Initially Courtney begins to recall memories of past events such as her grandmother’s recipe for bread. Courtney experiences increased intelligence and euphoria, being suddenly able to play the piano after 12 years and answer questions in class perfectly. Envious, Jamie flatlines, but has a disturbing near death experience as he meets his ex-girlfriend. Courtney and Jamie start seeing visions, but do not tell the others. Marlo and Sophia follow suit and flatline, for an increasing number of minutes. They experience similar positive results as Courtney.
It soon turns into a living horror as those who flatlined find themselves haunted by visions: Courtney is haunted by her dead sister Tessa from a car crash she caused because she was using her phone. Jamie is haunted by the baby of his ex-girlfriend he got pregnant and begged into getting an abortion. Marlo is haunted by a man named Cyrus (who was stung by jellyfish) whom she killed when she accidentally mixed up his medication, and Sophia is haunted by a girl named Irina whose life she ruined out of jealousy by hacking her phone and sending out her nudes to make sure she was valedictorian. They realise there is a downside to flatlining.
Ray, the only one who didn’t flatline, initially disbelieves what’s happening. He tells everyone to stop the experiment immediately. The hauntings get more and more intense. Courtney, traumatised by her visions, records a message apologising for the consequences and admitting that her interest in flatlining was due to the death of her sister, not for scientific discovery. Shortly after, she is chased by visions of her dead sister and falls to her death from the fire escape of her apartment building after her sister’s ghost appears in front of her and pushes her off. Marlo is suffocated while driving and crashes her car. Jamie is stabbed in the hand by his vision.
Flatliners is a 2017 American science fiction psychological horror film directed by Niels Arden Oplev and written by Ben Ripley. The film is a remake of the 1990 film of the same name, and stars Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton and Kiersey Clemons. It follows five medical students who attempt to conduct experiments that produce near-death experiences.
Sony Pictures released the film in the United States on September 29, 2017 and grossed $16.9 million in the United States and Canada, and $28.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $45 million, against a production budget of $19 million.
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Flatliners (2017)
Directed by: Niels Arden Oplev
Starring: Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, Kiersey Clemons, Kiefer Sutherland, Madison Brydges, Jacob Soley, Anna Arden, Jenny Raven, Charlotte McKinney, Wendy Raquel Robinson
Screenplay by: Ben Ripley
Production Design by: Anastasia Masaro, Niels Sejer
Cinematography by: Eric Kress
Film Editing by: Tom Elkins
Costume Design by: Catherine Ashton, Jenny Gering
Set Decoration by: Mary Kirkland
Art Direction by: Michaela Cheyne, Louisa Schabas
Music by: Nathan Barr
MPAA Rating: PG – 13 for violence and terror, sexual content, language, thematic material, and some drug references.
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: September 29, 2017
