Yet another 1990 cult classic movie received a remake this year. The first being IT, which was remade and remade exceptionally well, the second is this weeks Flatliners. The original reached cult statis and at the time had an all star cast of young up and comers including the likes of Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon and Julia Roberts. The remake has taken notes and aimed to recapture the "hot young cast" aspect and cast the likes of Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, Kiersey Clemons and James Norton as your med students seeking to once again find the answer to the question; where do we go when we die?
Now the casting isn't a massive problem here. Ellen Page and Diego Luna hold their own for the most part proving they are indeed talented actors with some good range however their supporting cast ins't quite as consistent. Nina Dobrev is still finding her feet as a movie actor having transistioned from T.V. in recent years. James Norton is simply there but does have some real strong moments and then we get to Kiersey Clemons. Clemons feels out of place, unwanted and is a constant distraction as her "acting" is quite appauling.
The premise never strays too far from that of the original and thats not necessarily a bad thing and the modernization of the concept has been handled well. The post mortem sequences are delivered to the screen in a similar manner and offer a fresh new twist that lends some horror elements to this remake, though they aren't all great leaning heavily on jump scares that simply don't scare.
At the end of the day some poor writing, a lack of fresh ideas and a want to stay too close to the original without ever blazing a new path leave Flatliners 2017 feeling hollow and devoid of any of its own soul, something that makes it completely unique and new. A terribly handled Kiefer Sutherland cameo/bit role is a constant distraction and inconsistent performances will leave the audience wanting more.
For a more detailed look at 2017's Flatliners, please give our review a look.
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