Flatliners is a cult classic from 1990 about a group of friends risking their lives for a quick taste of the afterlife.
Twenty-seven years later, the film's just been rebooted, and critics have been harsh. Very harsh.
How harsh? "The original Flatliners should have had a 'Do Not Resuscitate' orderattached to it," wrote Empire's critic, who gave it a paltry two starts out of five.
A scene from the recent Flatliners reboot, which has been slammed by critics.
It turns out two stars is more than most critics gave the reboot, which was released last week, stars Ellen Page, and features a cameo from Kiefer Sutherland - one of the stars of the original film.
"When events do turn dark, as they inexorably must, the film takes a correspondingly sharp turn into the mediocre; if you have ever seen a horror movie, even just one, you will know exactly what to expect." - John Nugent, Empire
"A fright-free fiasco. This update of a silly 1990 Julia Roberts thriller is even more witless and stupefyingly dull than the original." -Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"Light on thrills, chemistry, or frights, Flatliners squanders a fun concept before wrapping it up in perfunctory fashion, guaranteeing none of its cast are likely to turn up in a new version in another 27 years time." - Steve Newall, Flicks.co.nz
Ellen Page in a scene from the Flatliners reboot.
"The message of this remake of the 1990 thriller is that one must own up to his mistakes. If so, the makers and cast of the new 'Flatliners' need to apologise immediately." - Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
"Fully 20 percent of the movie's running time consists of characters wandering along through dark apartments, basements and corridors, wondering if the noises they hear are just their imaginations while out-of-focus shapes and faces dart through the negative space nearby." -Matt Zoller Seitz, RogerEbert.com
