Rating: 3/10
Let this be a lesson for Hollywood not to mess with two things: the original and death. The former is referred to the 1990 original Flatliners with stellar cast like Kevin Bacon and Julia Roberts. Although there were a few successful reboot or sequel for horror movies this year- the resurrection of Pennywise the Dancing Clown from 1990 or the financially-triumphant return of Annabelle in Annabelle: Creation which grossed over $300 million under the budget of $15 million.
It is not the similar case with Flatliners however. It's almost like it was doomed to die in the first place (pun not intended). Flatliners told a story about Courtney (Ellen Page) who was covered by the guilt of being in an accident that killed her little sister. This led her to be a medical student and was obsessing over the life after death. After some research on her own, which I believe was from her knowledge of extensive reading about death experiences, she decided to try to simulate a near-death experience of her own.
So she brought a few friends; some came intentionally and some were by accident but everyone at first was skeptical although they stayed out of curiosity. The movie was actually entertaining in the first thirty minutes- it has a great premise, brilliantly acted (although dubitable for real medical students to achieve their Hollywood level of attractiveness) but at its core, Courtney's real determination to find the answer of afterlife was what made it interesting. Will there be a white light? Or will there be nothing.
The answer is, you will get bored. Not only that her interest about the life after death was stripped away completely after her near-death experience, she discovered that she obtained new abilities, being able to play instruments she last played when she was a kid, she even baked loaves of bread for the whole class the night before while also excelling in her classes- basically she juggled through her medical student life gracefully which then became an envy to her friends.
This is where the movie took a plunge. From the thought-provoking dialogues, we were taken to the most typical, most basic of all horror movies- teenagers having fun in college. It turned out to be just like the first Ouija movie, where each one was having brief yet not memorable haunting of their dark past. Oh and both Flatliners and Ouija have a weak 7% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Coincidence? I think not.
Also, Kiefer Sutherland which was in the original movie made a powerful performance but his insignificant role made him an unremarkable addition for the movie.
Watch this if you like: The very first Ouija (the sequel, Ouija: Origin of Evil was in my opinion, better)
Watch out for: Nina Dobrev. That is Nina Dobrev's role for this movie.
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