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Sci-fi thriller

Flatliners (2017): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Flatliners (2017) movie poster

Flatliners is a 2017 sci-fi thriller directed by Niels Arden Oplev, starring Elliot Page as Courtney, Madison Brydges and Nina Dobrev. It runs 1 hour 49 minutes and earned $45.2 million worldwide on a $19 million budget. Critics gave it 4% on Rotten Tomatoes and 27 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.2/10.

IMDb rating
5.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes
4%
worldwide gross
$45.2M
Echo Score
30
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Flatliners (2017) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 49m (109 min)
Genres
Sci-Fi , Drama , Thriller , Horror
Original language
English
Budget
$19M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Flatliners About?

The premise of Flatliners without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Driven by a fascination with death, five medical students embark on a dangerous experiment. They take turns pushing their bodies to the brink of dying, recording their experiences and confronting the boundaries of life and death. However, as they repeatedly induce near-death states, they unknowingly awaken vengeful forces, and their suppressed secrets and guilt begin to manifest as terrifying visions and threatening consequences.

Flatliners Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • medical student
  • near death experience
  • medical experiment
  • flashback
  • remake
  • resurrection
  • hospital
  • hallucination
  • regret
  • redemption
  • guilt
  • out of body experience
+38 more
  • haunted by the past
  • car accident
  • car crash
  • afterlife
  • one word title
  • scene before opening credits
  • prologue
  • flash forward
  • 2000s
  • 2010s
  • horror movie remake
  • inside the mind
  • loss of friend
  • death of sister
  • loss of sister
  • subjective camera
  • character's point of view camera shot
  • medical science
  • experiment gone wrong
  • glass building
  • high tech
  • nurse
  • friendship
  • hearing voices
  • fear
  • danger
  • paranoia
  • panic
  • surrealism
  • dark past
  • tragic past
  • tragic event
  • tragedy
  • car falling off a bridge
  • bridge
  • bulldozer
  • bullet time
  • hedonism
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Cast & crew

Flatliners Cast & Characters

Elliot Page leads the cast as Courtney, with Madison Brydges as Tessa and Nina Dobrev as Marlo. Directed by Niels Arden Oplev; 16 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Flatliners

· 12 more
From the director

More from Niels Arden Oplev

More films directed by Niels Arden Oplev, best-rated first: Rose, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Dead Man Down and Held for Ransom.

Full filmography
Ratings

Flatliners Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Flatliners 4% on Rotten Tomatoes and 27 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.2/10. Our Echo Score gives it 30/100, strongest in art & craft (40) and weakest in rewatch factor (25).

30 /100

Flatliners Echo Score Breakdown

Flatliners struggles to offer coherent engagement or originality, resulting in a largely unfulfilling experience. Most feedback points to a derivative narrative that fails to justify its remake status and delivers scant suspense. A handful of comments acknowledge competent direction and occasional visual interest, but these are overshadowed by pacing issues and tonal confusion. Ultimately, the film’s uneven execution and limited innovations leave it feeling forgettable and underwhelming.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 40

    In terms of art and craft, the direction shows occasional technical competence and a few visually intriguing sequences. The cinematography features an understated color palette but lacks sustained stylistic cohesion. Production design and editing oscillate between moments of clarity and jarring cuts. While not entirely devoid of merit, the overall visual approach fails to elevate the material beyond basic competence.

  • Character & Emotion 30

    When it comes to character and emotion, the cast delivers measured performances but is hampered by underdeveloped roles. Acting proficiency is evident in isolated moments, yet the lack of depth prevents genuine emotional resonance. Chemistry among the ensemble is limited, and character arcs resolve too simply to leave a lasting impression. Overall, the portrayals feel constrained by a script that does not fully explore their potential.

  • Story & Flow 25

    In terms of story and flow, the plot relies heavily on familiar tropes without meaningful innovation. Pacing is uneven, with promising sci-fi concepts introduced but inadequately woven into the narrative. Engagement suffers as the film shifts ambiguously between genres, undermining suspense and coherence. Although there are brief glimpses of originality, these are too sporadic to counteract a largely derivative structure that leaves the viewer disengaged.

  • Sensory Experience 30

    From a sensory standpoint, occasional visual ideas provide fleeting intrigue, but the overall style lacks unity. Sound design leans on predictable jump scares rather than building sustained tension, and the musical score does not register as distinctive. While individual elements demonstrate technical know-how, they do not coalesce into a compelling audio-visual landscape. The sensory experience remains serviceable yet ultimately underwhelming.

  • Rewatch Factor 25

    Regarding rewatch factor, the film offers minimal incentive for repeat viewings. Initial interest may stem from the premise’s potential, but shortcomings in narrative and emotional depth diminish long-term appeal. Moments of competent direction do little to overcome the forgettable nature of most sequences. Consequently, Flatliners is unlikely to reward further engagement beyond a single viewing.

Plot

Flatliners Plot Summary

What happens in Flatliners from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film introduces us to Courtney Holmes, portrayed by Elliot Page, as she embarks on a fateful journey with her younger sister, Tessa (played by Madison Brydges). In a tragic turn of events, Courtney gets distracted while driving and accidentally swerves off a bridge, resulting in Tessa’s drowning. This traumatic incident haunts Courtney for nine years, during which she evolves into a dedicated medical student.

Full summary

The whole story of Flatliners, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Flatliners Box Office & Budget

Flatliners grossed $45.2 million worldwide on a $19 million budget, 2.4 times what it cost. $16.9 million came from the US and Canada and $28.3 million (63%) from the rest of the world.

2017 box office

Worldwide gross

$45.2M

2.4× its budget

US & Canada
$16.9M
International
$28.3M
Budget
$19M
US & Canada 37% Rest of the world 63%
Videos

Flatliners Trailers & Videos

3 videos: 3 trailers.

Official Trailer
  • Trailer International Trailer #2
  • Trailer Official Trailer 2
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Flatliners?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What tragic event occurs in the beginning involving Courtney and her sister?

Cars

Cars in Flatliners

27 cars on screen, including the 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman and the Triumph Thruxton.

All 27 cars
  • 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman in Flatliners 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman Main role
  • Triumph Thruxton in Flatliners Triumph Thruxton Important role
  • 2013 Chevrolet Spark in Flatliners 2013 Chevrolet Spark Minor role
  • 2016 Nissan Sentra in Flatliners 2016 Nissan Sentra Minor role
Details

Flatliners Also Known As

34 alternative titles, including “Trải nghiệm điểm chết” and “ขอตายวูบเดียว”.

Also known as
  • Trải nghiệm điểm chết
  • ขอตายวูบเดียว
  • Në vijën e vdekjes
  • الخط الفاصل
  • Линия на смъртта
  • 灵异空间
  • 靈異空間
  • 別闖陰陽界
  • Tanka linija smrti
  • Hráči se smrtí
  • Lignes interdites
  • L'Expérience interdite, კომაში
+22 more
  • Ταξιδιώτες στην άλλη ζωή
  • קו הדממה
  • Egyenesen át
  • Flatliners - Linea mortale
  • フラットライナーズ
  • 플랫라이너
  • Aiz dzīvības robežas
  • Besivaikantys mirtį
  • Тенката линија на смртта
  • Linia życia
  • Além da Morte
  • Linha Mortal
  • Linia morții
  • Коматозники
  • Танка линија смрти
  • Hráči so smrťou
  • Enganchados a la muerte
  • Línea mortal: Al límite
  • Çizgi Ötesi
  • Flatliners (Reboot)
  • Trải Nghiệm Điểm Chết, სიკვდილის ზღვარზე
  • مرگ بازان

Seen Flatliners?

FAQ

Flatliners FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Flatliners, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Flatliners?

Flatliners runs 1 hour 49 minutes (109 minutes).

When was Flatliners released?

Flatliners was released on September 29, 2017.

Who directed Flatliners?

Flatliners was directed by Niels Arden Oplev.

More films by Niels Arden Oplev

Who is in the cast of Flatliners?

Flatliners stars Elliot Page as Courtney, Madison Brydges as Tessa and Nina Dobrev as Marlo, among 16 credited actors.

How much did Flatliners make at the box office?

Flatliners grossed $45.2 million worldwide ($16.9 million domestic, $28.3 million international) on a budget of $19 million.

How is Flatliners rated?

Flatliners has 5.2/10 on IMDb, 4% on Rotten Tomatoes, 27 on Metacritic and 56% on TMDB.

Does Flatliners have a post-credit scene?

No. Flatliners has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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