Disclaimer: This article reveals twists and important details integral to the plot.

Flatliners is a great film and an amalgam of the science fiction genre and the horror/ thriller genre. A group of top notch medical students push the limits of life and death by committing suicide and immediately resuscitating themselves. The ones who experience death, or Flatliners, returned with exceptional abilities and almost superhuman capabilities. Four students flatlined and enjoyed euphoria and advanced human abilities. All things proceed well until they start experiencing side effects. They are haunted by their past and ultimately one of the Flatliner is killed by an unknown entity. The ultimate solution was simply to confront and accept their mistakes.

Throughout the film jump scares and flashing lights contribute to the horror element. However, what truly makes this thriller exceptional is the context of its horror. The Flatliners are haunted by their past. A regular routine could transform into a dementing experience as the world around morphs to grotesque reenactments of their past, forcing the Flatliners to confront their sins in the worst situations. This constant recall of their sins also creates more meaning for the film. Not only was the film a thrilling two hours, however, it also delivered a positive thematic statement outside the context of science fiction and horror films. Aside from the thriller experience, the science fiction elements complements the film, making it an interesting take on pseudo-science. The medical students find results that delve into the world of afterlife and gives a wondrous interpretation of what life after death could be.

Although the film was overall an intriguing movie, I believe it shared too much resemblance to the old Flatliners. There was not a critical difference to the plot, a different perspective, or a plot twist added to the story. Furthermore, the film lacked a proper explanation to the source of the  Flatliners’ haunting experience. Was it a demonic entity? Or was it something that followed them from the afterlife? Why were they specifically haunted by their past and not just a demon? What even is haunting them? There were many unanswered questions to how and why the Flatliners were being haunted that simply made the story appear random. The film should have invested more on the build up and expatiated more upon the source of the haunting experiences.

Austin Chan(12) “was confused by who was haunting the Flatliners. I felt like an explanation would have made the movie more coherent.”  

Aside from the aforementioned flaws, Flatliners was an amazing and captivating two hours of entertainment.