Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Five medical students experiment with "near death" experiences, until the dark consequences of past tragedies begin to jeopardize their lives.
Flatliners is a visually striking film with strong, gothic-tinged cinematography that gives it a distinctive, atmospheric look — genuinely a cut above its peers in that regard. The concept of medical students deliberately inducing near-death experiences is compelling and reasonably well-executed in the first two acts, with a solid ensemble cast delivering engaged performances. However, the film loses its nerve in the final act, defaulting to a rather conventional and rushed resolution that doesn't fully honor the moral complexity it set up. The premise feels fresh but the execution becomes formulaic as it progresses, and the ending in particular deflates much of the earlier tension.