Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
After Ben Garvey foolishly turned back to crime, he thought his life was over when he was sentenced to death by lethal injection. But his death sentence isn't quite what it seems, as Ben regains consciousness near an eerie psychiatric ward, where he's told he's been hired as the groundskeeper. With the state of his soul in question, and the love for his wife and daughter all the more real and powerful, Ben must figure out if he's truly cheated death, or if he's become part of something far more sinister.
The Lazarus Project is a modestly compelling thriller with a genuinely intriguing premise blending death-row drama with supernatural/psychological mystery. The plot is engaging enough with its ambiguous afterlife setup, though it struggles to fully capitalize on its concept and meanders in the middle. Paul Walker gives a surprisingly earnest performance that anchors the film emotionally, and the supporting cast is solid without being exceptional. Cinematography is functional but unremarkable, doing little to visually distinguish the psychiatric ward setting or heighten the eerie atmosphere the story calls for. The concept of a man uncertain whether he's cheated death or entered purgatory gives it some novelty above genre norms. The ending attempts a meaningful emotional resolution that is more satisfying than expected for a mid-budget thriller, though it won't leave many speechless.