Life and Death in the 80s

Christopher Walkin (Brainstorm) Olivia Wilde (The Lazarus Effect)

The 80s. If our insatiable march towards the then ever lurking threat of nuclear apocalypse between the Soviets and the US did not kills us then surely our lack of ethically questionable and morally suspect technological research would, right?

Brainstorm - 1983 (or the Occulus rift of the 1980s)
 

Sci Fi films often tackle cultural and social issues that other films dare not venture into for genuine concern it will muddy the plot points. With that in mind I had high hopes for the trailer of a film aptly named The Lazarus Effect. Much like Brainstorm in the mid 80s the plot promises to take a long hard look at Western culture and the complicated often problematic relationship between science and faith.

 

The Lazarus Effect - A contemporary film that promised to review the current scientific perspective on death as a process rather than an end point. With recent scientific research of Peter Rhee as covered by David Robson in his article for BBC News "The ultimate comeback: Bringing the dead back to life" and their subsequent process of seeking FDA approval to begin clinical research in human subjects within the US, (eg Phase 1) it seems a perfect time for a film like The Lazarus Effect. However, the trailer alone exhibits the well worn faith based tropes of this topic. Scientist messing with the process of life and death always always always results in the Christian duality of heaven and hell punishment. I walked into the trailer hoping it would take the road that Brainstorm did, and sadly ended up looking at a two minute parable about Christian faith.