THE LAZARUS EFFECT
An intriguing resurrection experiment that collapses into predictable horror.
Should You Watch It?
The Lazarus Effect begins with an excellent, provocative idea: young scientists try to restore dead animals to life so doctors can have more time to save dying patients. Its first half is suspenseful and intriguing, and it raises serious questions about Heaven, Hell, and what happens after death.
But the film does not follow through on most of those ideas. The third act becomes predictable, the story imitates familiar horror situations, and important questions remain unanswered. The movie also includes lots of foul language, strong profanities, and very intense, scary violence, even though the violence is not especially gory or graphic.
Because the film has some merit but is poorly suited to family viewing, adults who are interested should watch it at home, where they can control the experience.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESA team of young scientists is researching whether dead animals can be brought back to life for medical purposes. After their work is shut down and their research is taken by a pharmaceutical company, the scientists attempt one more experiment.
When the experiment goes terribly wrong, the team makes a desperate decision involving one of its own members. Their success brings consequences they never expected.
Is It Any Good?
Two stars means the film has a worthwhile premise but does not deliver a satisfying movie. The opening is suspenseful and intriguing, and the resurrection experiment creates provocative possibilities. The first half also raises compelling questions about life after death.
The film falls apart in the third act. Its ending becomes pedestrian and predictable, mimicking situations from many other horror movies. It also leaves too many things hanging, including questions about the revived woman, the escaped dog, and the movie’s larger ideas. The Lazarus Effect has an excellent concept, but its execution is disappointing.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong mixed worldview. It includes overt Christian content, humanist ideas, a confusing reference to evolution, and a brief debate about what happens after people die. It suggests that there is something beyond death but remains noncommittal and eventually drops the subject.
The story does include light moral elements about the dangers of playing God and the desire to help other people. It also presents a believing Catholic woman troubled by a traumatic event from childhood. The film suggests that her efforts to deal with guilt become a works-oriented attempt at salvation rather than salvation by faith through grace, but it never develops or resolves that idea.
The movie’s central questions about guilt, death, and salvation are left hanging. Scripture gives a clearer answer: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong mixed pagan worldview with some overt Christian content and some over humanist content (including a confusing reference to evolution that’s left undeveloped), plus brief debate about what happens after people die (movie suggests there’s something but remains noncommittal and drops the subject), and some light moral elements about the dangers of playing God plus a desire to help other people; about 29-31 obscenities (“s” and “h” and a** words), five strong profanities, three light profanities, and sick woman vomits; some very strong and strong scary, intense violence includes villain twists two people’s necks, villain knocks e-cigarette down man’s throat, and he eventually suffocates, dog suddenly turns vicious about three times (baring its teeth), man stabbed to death, woman stabbed with syringes containing animal euthanasia poison, stalking, flashbacks to an apartment fire where hands of people trapped in one apartment appear under a door several times, villain appears to be burning when coming after another woman; no sex scenes, but engaged couple appears to be living together, man wonders if another man has “tapped” (or fornicated with) a pretty woman, and man appears to love woman engaged to another man for three years; no alcohol; no smoking or drugs; and, deception, woman seems possessed by some kind of evil force after coming back to life, man lightly mocks belief while debating faith and non-faith with his Catholic bride-to-be but events prove him off base, though movie never really concludes what’s true one way or another, so it leaves viewers hanging.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The scientists want to extend life, but their work raises questions about playing God. What responsibilities come with pursuing powerful knowledge?
Genesis 1:28 · Proverbs 1:7The movie raises the possibility of Heaven and Hell but does not give a clear answer. What does Jesus teach about eternal life and judgment?
John 3:16–18 · Matthew 25:46The story connects guilt with an attempt to earn salvation through good works. Why can’t good works save us, and what does saving faith produce?
Ephesians 2:8–10 · James 2:17The scientists want their research to help dying patients. How should Christians think about mercy, medicine, and the limits of human power?
Matthew 22:39 · Psalm 90:12The Final Word
The Lazarus Effect starts with a compelling idea and a suspenseful first half, but it ends predictably and leaves its deepest questions unanswered. Strong language and intense scary violence make it unsuitable for family viewing. For discerning adults, the answer is WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY. For other options, see.
