I first saw this flick when I was a small child, so naturally I wasn’t able to understand half of what was going on. However, it contained a lot of striking imagery that stayed in my head for years to come. Fortunately, having revisited the film as an adult, the premise and emotional overtones opened my eyes to how interesting it was.
Flatliners follows five medical students as they attempt to experience the afterlife firsthand by being clinically dead for several minutes. Each student has his/her own perception of what lies on the other side, but they are quickly tormented by the sins of their past, particularly in the waking world. On top of that, they are constantly jeopardizing each other’s lives by making frequent visits to “the afterlife” in a desperate bid to achieve closure.
It is hard to believe that Joel Schumacher, the man who single-handedly kneecapped the Batman film franchise, was behind this. What’s even more surprising is that it’s pretty damn good. Granted, a lot of people argue that Flatliners fell short in terms of concept and execution, but the fact that it took a different route was what made this film unique. The all-star cast turn in great performances, particularly Kiefer Sutherland as the ambitious ringleader who commits hubris through science.
This poster came together really easily because the last shot of the film, a painting by Michelangelo depicting the hand of God giving life to Adam, summed up the themes, motivations, and consequences of playing God. It would be absurd not to include that image in the design.
