The Lazarus Effect

The Lazarus Effect is a 2015 American science fantasy horror film directed by David Gelb and written by Luke Dawson and Jeremy Slater. The film stars Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Donald Glover, Evan Peters, and Sarah Bolger. The film was released on February 27, 2015, by Relativity Media. It received negative reviews from critics but was a box office success, grossing $38 million worldwide against a budget of $3 million. Plot At a university, medical researchers Dr. Frank Walton and his fiancée, Dr. Zoe McConnell, have developed a serum, code-named "Lazarus", intended to assist coma patients but shown to be able to actually bring the dead back to life. Videography student Eva joins them in the lab to document their project. With the assistance of their lab associates, Niko and Clay, they run a successful trial on a recently euthanized dog, Rocky. However, Rocky displays several unusual psychological and physical phenomena after being revived by the serum: cataracts formerly present in his eyes abruptly dissolve, he loses his appetite, and he displays increased aggression. Tests reveal that the serum, instead of dissipating, is concentrated within Rocky's brain, where it is causing new synapses to be constructed. When the dean of their university learns of their underground experiments, their project is shut down. They are also informed that a major pharmaceutical company has bought out the company that funded their research. The company confiscates everything associated with the project.