The Lazarus Project

"Cheating death is only the beginning"

2008 1h 39m EN

😐

6.0

MID

★6.0TMDB · 407

DramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After Ben Garvey foolishly turned back to crime, he thought his life was over when he was sentenced to death by lethal injection. But his death sentence isn't quite what it seems, as Ben regains consciousness near an eerie psychiatric ward, where he's told he's been hired as the groundskeeper. With the state of his soul in question, and the love for his wife and daughter all the more real and powerful, Ben must figure out if he's truly cheated death, or if he's become part of something far more sinister.

“Cheating death is only the beginning”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Paul Walker
Ben Garvey
Piper Perabo
Lisa Garvey
Lambert Wilson
Avery
Linda Cardellini
Julie Ingram
Shawn Hatosy
Ricky Garvey
Bob Gunton
Father Ezra
Malcolm Goodwin
Robbie
Brooklynn Proulx
Katie Garvey

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Glenn
Writers: Nick Burns, Evan Astrowsky, John Glenn
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 6% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 18 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Glenn, shot by Jerzy Zieliński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Brian Tyler. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Fred Raskin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Paul Walker and Piper Perabo and Lambert Wilson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Cheating death is only the beginning".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Glenn directs. Jerzy Zieliński behind the camera. Brian Tyler scores. Fred Raskin cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 6% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 18 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
4Directed by John Glenn, shot by Jerzy Zieliński. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Brian Tyler. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Fred Raskin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Paul Walker and Piper Perabo and Lambert Wilson carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Cheating death is only the beginning".
9IMDB entry: tt0464041 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jerzy Zieliński
Original score: Brian Tyler
Editing: Fred Raskin
Production design: Jeremy Reed
Costume design: Linda Madden
Makeup / hair: Brenda Magalas
VFX supervisor: Dale Tanguay
Sound: Tara A. Paul
Stunt coordinator: Rick Skene
Runtime: 99 min · 1h 39m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $9,750,000
Box office: $558,000
Return: 6% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Lazarus Project (2008)

Also by

John Glenn

Robin Hood
2025 · ★ 7.6

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2014-07-14
★ 7/10
Lazarus of Oregon. The Lazarus Project is directed by John Patrick Glen, who also co-writes the screenplay with Evan Astrowsky. It stars Paul Walker, Linda Cardellini, Piper Perabo, Bob Gunton, Malcolm Goodwin and Tony Curran. Music is by Brian Tyler and cinematography by Jerzy Zielinski. A reformed criminal out on parole is beset by bad luck and finds himself sentenced to die by lethal injection. Strange then that once the lethal dose is administered, he wakes up working as a grounds-keeper at a psychiatric hospital… John Glen's first directing assignment is very much a mixed bag, but if landing in the DVD/Blu-ray players of the right audience it could well gain some momentum in the wake of Walker's untimely death. It's one of those films that operates at a funereal pace and thrives on other worldly atmosphere. After the introductions to the main character and his psychological make-up is out the way, pic shifts into a realm where we, as well as Walker's character, are never sure what is real or what is going on. Is he in some afterlife place? Is it all in his head? A dream? Drug induced? And etc. One of the smart things about the movie is that it binds the audience to the mystery by asking us to fill in the gaps with our own logic. While crucially the reveal comes at the right time so as to give us viewers the opportunity to re-evaluate the various quandaries that the piece has thrown up. For those who like films like Jacob's Ladder, Shutter Island, The Jacket et al, then this has to be at the very least of interest, to warrant the chance to sell itself to those particular sub-genre fans, besides which, it also shows a string to Walker's acting bow that was rarely tapped into by other directors. And it's beautifully shot by Zielinski too. Contemplative, intriguing and even chilling as regards the various themes it deals with, this Lazarus deserves its own second coming. 7/10
r96sk2023-01-11
★ 5/10
It's a poor film, but Paul Walker saves it from coming out much worse. This performance of Walker's is the best I've seen of him away from the <em>'Fast & Furious'</em> franchise, as everything else around him in <em>'The Lazarus Project'</em> fails to make an impression his showing is terrific. Bob Gunton, if I had to pick someone, is the pick of the others. The story features an intriguing concept, but I can't say I was ever all that interested in it due to the way the film portrays it; which is a bit too episodic. They just show one thing, then the next and then the next and it never feels well connected. There is no mystique, despite a mystique-filled premise.