The Lazarus Project (2008)

43% of users liked it
(2,975 ratings)

Life, it seems, could not possibly improve for Ben Garvey (Paul Walker). Though officially an ex-criminal (a reformed thief), he's worked extra-diligently to bury the past and start over - via a promising job, a gorgeous wife (Piper Perabo) and a lovely daughter. Tragically, though, the past comes… More Life, it seems, could not possibly improve for Ben Garvey (Paul Walker). Though officially an ex-criminal (a reformed thief), he's worked extra-diligently to bury the past and start over - via a promising job, a gorgeous wife (Piper Perabo) and a lovely daughter. Tragically, though, the past comes back to haunt Ben when others learn of his history and rip his job away; he travels from bad to worse by making the ill-advised decision to join his shyster brother in a "get rich quick" burglary scheme that goes tragically awry, leads to several deaths, and lands Ben on death row, poised for lethal injection. At the last waning moment, however, Ben comes to and mysteriously seems to have survived the needle. On a bizarre note, he finds himself in a rural psychiatric hospital where nothing is what it seems - plagued by demonic images and trailed by a mysterious figure (Lambert Wilson). One of the only sources of hope lies in the gorgeous psychiatrist (Linda Cardellini) who provides Ben with support, counsel and encouragement as he lingers in this odd, inexplicable realm. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: John Glenn
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Oct 21, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Oct 21, 2008
Studio: Sony Entertainment

Critic Reviews

David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...a frustratingly surreal (and progressively interminable) piece of work.
Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
This chilling psychological thriller that keeps us hardwired to our seats gives charismatic Paul Walker a fine platform on which to display his considerable talents
Johnny Butane, Dread Central
For all this grumbling, The Lazarus Project is technically a well put together film. It looks good, and is reasonably well acted.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Generates nonstop gripping mental terror and nerve shredding false leads that never let up.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Combines chilling psychological horror with other scary notions like medical experimentation, death row, criminal redemption as an extinct idea, and religious tyranny.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

Ok, well, I thought that this was a decent movie. Paul Walker did a great job, as did the entire cast. Some people compare this to Shutter Island. Ok, I admit it was a similar premise, but I didn't like Shutter Island...and I did like this. I DO, however, wish that they had ended… More
Ok, well, I thought that this was a decent movie. Paul Walker did a great job, as did the entire cast. Some people compare this to Shutter Island. Ok, I admit it was a similar premise, but I didn't like Shutter Island...and I did like this. I DO, however, wish that they had ended this movie differently. I was left with a little of that "now what" feeling. But, I didn't dislike the ending enough to take away from my rating. This was more of a drama, than a thriller, though.
Bobby H

Paul Walker plays a character sentenced to death - but wakes up after his lethal injections to a new world, or is it? This was supposed to be a psychological thriller in which I thought did its part throughout the majority of the movie. Within the last half hour it starts to unravel… More
Paul Walker plays a character sentenced to death - but wakes up after his lethal injections to a new world, or is it? This was supposed to be a psychological thriller in which I thought did its part throughout the majority of the movie. Within the last half hour it starts to unravel to the point in which it's not technically a psychological thriller in my opinion at all but a dramatic film based on the morals of humanity; the choices and mistakes we all make as humans; and the response to correcting those who make those mistakes. The correctional system is an interesting concept to me (maybe because I am a student in Criminal Justice) but noting the fact that our system jails individuals by the masses (7-8x the population of other countries) and our crime rates while they've decreased since mass incarceration has started still doesn't reflect the lesser crime rates of countries who jail at slower rates - brings about questions of rehabilitation, our over population of prison inmates, and the inhumane responses we take to try to curb society for our own gratitude. The American prison system (despite the 12million individuals that circulate through it each year) is one of the best kept secrets in the country hiding the conditions and inhumanity that goes on inside them from assaults, humiliation, rape, and the subject to deadly diseases that our Government fails to treat prior or take notice in before releasing them back into society on us. While this all fact, and this movie itself as a response was fiction, the movie in my opinion was less about the story inside the movie and more about the future of our prison system that we all can either continue to ignore ("Kill you? But to the rest of the world, you're already dead") or humanity can wake up and understand even those on the inside deserve forgiveness and some sort of dignity. I was an obvious fan of the thoughts it left you with, the awareness of what could happen without us ever even considering or knowing (and what does happen not in this movie but other issues), and the greater morals behind the film. The film itself was great and dark throughout it but the ending was slightly bland, a bit predictable, with questions on how that'd even be a possible scenario after what was supposed to have happened previously in the prison. (Will not say that as to not spoil the movie on here - but anyone else who has seen the movie should pick up on what I mean) Pretty good film, but best for that in which it brought to mind and awareness off film.
Sophie B

A very interesting story with great characters and plot line. It does copy Shutter Island a little though. It opens up discussion for how some released convicts are forced to reoffend simply because they can't get a job to get money any other way and also how ridiculous the… More
A very interesting story with great characters and plot line. It does copy Shutter Island a little though. It opens up discussion for how some released convicts are forced to reoffend simply because they can't get a job to get money any other way and also how ridiculous the American law system is for sentencing him to death for playing a part in the robbery. He had nothing to do with the deaths. He didn't cause them per se, he was just part of a robbery. The only problem is that I felt they didn't really explain what the Lazarus Project actually was. It felt like it came as an after thought.
♥˩ƳИИ &

Paul Walker, Piper Perabo, Brooklyn Proulx, Shawn Hatosy, Bob Gunton, Linda Cardellini, Macolm Goodwin, Lambert Wilson, Leigh Enns DIRECTED BY: John Glenn A former criminal is drawn into a criminal endeavor and subsequently finds himself living an inexplicable new life working… More
Paul Walker, Piper Perabo, Brooklyn Proulx, Shawn Hatosy, Bob Gunton, Linda Cardellini, Macolm Goodwin, Lambert Wilson, Leigh Enns DIRECTED BY: John Glenn A former criminal is drawn into a criminal endeavor and subsequently finds himself living an inexplicable new life working at a psychiatric facility. This movie had the potential to be great. But instead it they made it too long and boring when they could have went with exciting or thrilling. It was just blah. But like I said, it could have been really good. But for what its worth the acting was decent and some of the ending was good. But really wished it took it to another level.
Film C

what a bunch of old bullocks! The movie is slow, boring and the storyline is pretty poor!! The sotryline annoyed me a bit as they sent him to death for murder even though he didnt even kill anyone and then when you find out whats happening they say its a way of changing people and… More
what a bunch of old bullocks! The movie is slow, boring and the storyline is pretty poor!! The sotryline annoyed me a bit as they sent him to death for murder even though he didnt even kill anyone and then when you find out whats happening they say its a way of changing people and giving them a second chance making me want to scream to the top of my lungs 'he didnt bloody kill anyone'!! Boring movie, not worth the watch!!
Khris N

A Pretty good supposedly "psychological thriller"... but probably more drama. It would be great if it had more tension and a sinister conspiracy around it... but then again doesn't it always. I guess the idea was for Paul Walker to carry the movie on his acting… More
A Pretty good supposedly "psychological thriller"... but probably more drama. It would be great if it had more tension and a sinister conspiracy around it... but then again doesn't it always. I guess the idea was for Paul Walker to carry the movie on his acting abilities... which isn't much, sorry to say. But this is one of his better films, and I think he's exploring new grounds... which can make him better on screen. It is dark a lot of the time. And you do meet an odd assortment of characters... some driven to the point of insanity. which kinda underlines the whole idea of the movie. Which is worse, death, or living in a fantasy which will drive you insane? Well... I dont know. But I guess the movie shows theres always a third option. Anyways, it wasnt great, but it was good. But its a drama, not a thriller and the suspense was.... flat.
Sarah P

The whole story was pretty lame. It picked up in the last quarter of the movie, but by then it was too late to be saved.