Discarnate ( Shapeshifter )

We will all die at some point. And we all loose someone we love, no matter if they have died of a disease or of natural causes, it is always hard to see family members die. Death is a part of life, no matter how we feel about it. Thanks to science we can make people live longer through new medications, and new medical treatments. But we can never have eternal life through science, and i believe there is a reason to why we should not have that. There are a lot of horror films that takes on the subject of medical treatments, where some of the films bring up the subject of bringing back someone from the other side. I have a couple of titles in mind, but i would like to talk about one film specifically. The 2015 horror film The Lazarus Effect turned out to be a big surprise for me, when the film came out on DVD and Blu Ray. This is a medical horror film, that tells the story of medical researchers Frank ( played by actor Mark Duplass ) and his fiancée Zoe ( played by actress Olivia Wilde ). They have developed a serum, code-named "Lazarus ", that was supposed to help coma patients, but it turns out that this serum can bring back people to life instead. They use the serum on a dead dog, and the experiment is successful. However, they notice that the dog´s behavior is different. When the University ( who helps to fund their science project ) finds out what they are doing with the serum, the project is shut down. Frank and his team has to find a way, to make the University understand why this serum is such a incredible medical discovery. While working in the lab, an accident happens and Zoe dies. Frank decides to try the serum on Zoe, just to bring her back. But is it really the same Zoe he knew while she was still alive ? The Lazarus Effect is an interesting and well made medical horror film, that shows you how far humans are willing to go, to make sure we can rise from the dead.The characters are great, the acting is good as well, and i have to say that this film also manage to bring up questions from a medical perspective. Especially if we are supposed to do experiments on humans ? Worth a watch on DVD or Blu Ray, if you enjoy medical horror films. I recently heard a movie review on YouTube channel Geek Legion Of Doom, on a film called Discarnate. A film that seems to bring up the subject of a medical serum. Is this a surprisingly good horror film, or should you avoid it at all cost ?

Neuroscientist Dr. Andre Mason ( Thomas Kretschman ) have experienced what it is like to visit the outer world of the other side. He believe with a new serum, they will be able to learn more about if there is life after death. With a team of scientists including Dr. Travis Sherman ( Chris Coy ), Violette Paich ( Bex Taylor-Klaus ) and some other team members, they will continue to see if this serum is actually working. But what is this serum actually doing, and is it really working as they thought it would ?

When ever i see a film that try to blend different ideas, and manage to do so in a positive way, i am of course pleased. Not that Discarnate is a very original film, but i like the concept of this film for trying to be both a medical horror film, and include some kind of monster ( sounds like a nice mix right ? ) One of the details about this serum that i think is interesting, is that if you take it you are able to visit the outer world of the other side. Let´s talk about the cast for a while. Actor Thomas Kretschman plays Dr. Andre Mason, a man i guarantee you will recognize from Peter Jackson´s film King Kong, and from the Nicolas Cage film Next, where he played the character Mr. Smith. Thomas gives us a performance that fits with his character. Actress Bex Taylor-Klaus ( who you might remember from TV series Arrow as the character Sin ) is in my opinion the best female character in this film. She says what she thinks, and she makes a lot of good points while she is working with the team of Dr. Andre. Actor John Stewart is here as well, who you have seen in films such as The Collector and The Dark Knight Rises. Even if his character is not as strong as i would have liked him to be, he still give a performance that works for the moment. Beautiful actress Nadine Velazquez ( from the really funny Tv series My Name Is Earl ) gives a solid performance here. And i have to mention actor Chris Coy ( who is especially good in the horror film Deliver Us From Evil ), who plays Dr. Travis. He gives us one of the most interesting male characters in this film. The plot of this film is pretty simple, but what really makes Discarnate work is the shapeshifting beast. The design of this creature is pretty cool, and when he shows up looking like different people, he does look really creepy. I can´t describe the design of the shapeshifter, i think you need to see the creature to see why it is effective in this film. Director Mario Sorrenti have made a film that will please fans of monster films, and especially for those who are interested in horror films that brings up the subject of medical experiments. This is a well designed film, that feels constructed like an 80´s horror with some classic elements thrown in there in a positive way. If you love creepy creatures, or monster films in general, give Discarnate a chance. Do you have some annoying neighbors ? Give them a DVD copy of this film, and i guarantee that they will never bother you again.

Rating: DDD