The Lazarus Syndrome
- Css Darth-Sheol
- Apr 19, 2015
- 3 min read
The Lazarus Syndrome is a surprisingly decent flick despite not having any of the weird stuff I usually take with my movies. I expected some people coming back to life or something similar in keeping with the Biblical story of Lazarus being resurrected, but evidently a “Lazarus syndrome” is when a patient thinks his doctor is a miracle worker in all things.
That's how Hamill feels about Dr. Sinclair. Sinclair, a cardiologist, saves Hamill's life, and Hamill won't give the good doctor a moment's peace afterwords. Sinclair already doesn't like the guy all that much because of the way he treats his wife when Sinclair is struggling to save his own marriage. The plot thickens when Hamill accuses Sinclair's boss, the head of the hospital, of being a junkie. Sinclair wants to believe Hamill is just being difficult, but what he doesn't know is that his patient used to be a reporter and has a keen eye for what's going on around him. With another patient's life on the line Sinclair must discover if his boss is fit to perform surgery.
When I realized this was going to be a straight drama with no sci-fi or horror elements I didn't hold out hope that it would be any good. I was pleasantly surprised. The story unfolds well, remains interesting, has a satisfying conclusion, and uses its main characters well. However, it's not the best written movie ever, it doesn't develop any of the supporting characters, it doesn't reach the point of being really intriguing, and the wrap-up at the end seems to be trying too hard for a feel-good note.
One thing that helps is the acting. I've never heard of Ronald Hunter, but he does a decent job with Hamill. Louis Gossett, Jr. is the real star here. He tackles some emotional scenes with his wife, anger at his out-of-line patient, and becomes the whipping-post for his unreasonable boss. E.G. Marshal has a couple of good moments as well.
MORALITY:
There is very little in this I would call questionable. There's no sex, nudity, or violence. The strong language is very mild. There are some themes and conversations involving infidelity and drug use. That's about it.
SPIRITUALITY:
Beside the obvious biblical links to the syndrome that give the movie its title, this is something of a cautionary tale about the flaws in men. Dr. Sinclair is perhaps the best balance. He's a good guy, flawed in the way that anyone in the viewing audience might be. What married person hasn't experienced tension in their marriage? Who hasn't gotten irritated with someone? Hamill treats him as something above human, but we see that he's still got the struggles of a normal person.
Sinclair's boss is the person you don't want to have to face. He looks like a good guy, the kind you want to be able to put your faith in, but underneath that is potentially a secret dark enough to endanger innocent lives.
Hamill is basically the opposite. He's annoying, the kind of person you might want to keep at arm's length, and yet he has something constructive to offer.
The movie as a whole is an interesting look at the different sides of people which is a good thought to keep in mind. The pastor that you put your trust in is still human, and the annoyingly needy guy that you prefer to avoid is still loved by God and capable of being used to accomplish something good.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
This is not going to blow you away by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a moderately enjoyable medical drama. If you're into shows like ER and whathaveyou then this might be worth checking out if you don't mind the 70's stylings.
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