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Flatliners

Flatliners

Some lines shouldn't be crossed.

1990115 minRMidcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
Director
Joel Schumacher
Starring
Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin

Five medical students experiment with "near death" experiences, until the dark consequences of past tragedies begin to jeopardize their lives.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Flatliners?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Flatliners streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Flatliners?

Flatliners earns 8 badges, led by Word-of-mouth hit and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Flatliners worth watching?

Flatliners' Midcredits score is the 64th percentile of all films, from 167K ratings across 6 sources. 57% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

64th percentile

Better received than 64% of films

64th percentile among Drama66th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)63rd
Approval (how many liked it)62nd

65 /100

63rd percentile of all films

65th percentile among Drama67th percentile among 1990s

Critics 55 · Audience 66

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

57% liked it

62nd percentile of all films

62nd percentile among Drama64th percentile among 1990s
57% rated it 7–1043% rated it 1–6

Critics 50% · Audience 59%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 4 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing

95th percentile

167K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Drama92nd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$26M
Opening weekend$10M
Domestic gross$61M
Worldwide gross$61M

Returned 2.4× its budget — 95th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film pairs a fascinating high-concept premise with an A-list young cast, but diverges on whether Schumacher's excessive stylistic flourishes serve or undermine the material.

Fans praised

  • Visually striking Gothic atmosphere, neon lighting, and dreamlike cinematography
  • Star-making ensemble cast with compelling performances from Sutherland, Bacon, and Roberts
  • Original and thought-provoking premise exploring guilt, redemption, and life after death

Detractors panned

  • Overly stylized direction prioritizes flashy visuals over coherent storytelling
  • Repetitive structure as each character undergoes the same flatlining sequence
  • Shallow script with heavy-handed moralizing and pseudo-psychological pop theology

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive80

Haunting Gothic setting with expressive neon lighting, steam, and moody cathedral interiors

OriginalityDivisive78

Unusual blend of medical thriller and supernatural guilt-trip morality play

CinematographyDivisive78

De Bont's expressionistic color palettes and striking Gothic compositions

ActingDivisive72

Sutherland's intense charisma, Bacon's grounded presence, Roberts' emotional range

TensionDivisive60

Resuscitation scenes and ghostly attacks generate genuine suspense

Plot and storyDivisive55

Intriguing setup undermined by repetitive structure and convenient resolutions

CharactersDivisive50

Well-acted but one-dimensionally written archetypes driven by single sins

PacingDivisive50

First half builds tension well but second half becomes formulaic

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Flatliners like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want every question answered.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseContemplativeMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its premise of near-death and confronting guilt with a serious, moody tone, using gothic imagery and earnest performances.
The rideThe tension builds during the experiments and their aftermath, with the middle section carrying the emotional weight as the characters confront their guilt.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically as the group undergoes the experiments and deals with the consequences.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

HopefulThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's journey toward atonement and the final message that facing the past brings peace leave a hopeful yet reflective aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeMedical students experiment with near-death experiences, each confronting childhood sins that haunt them after their visions, leading them toward atonement.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% (this title) · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsGuilt · 3% of filmsMortality · 2% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film interrogates the search for meaning in death and the weight of past guilt, as each character confronts the consequences of their actions.
StanceThe film questions the pursuit of afterlife knowledge and the burden of guilt, focusing on Nelson and David's individual journeys without endorsing a clear moral position.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · James Newton Howard
SettingA medical school and an abandoned building used for the experiments
MusicThe score complements the film's eerie and introspective atmosphere, enhancing the supernatural elements.

Content guide

Is Flatliners okay for kids?

R

Flatliners is rated R. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (68/100), sexual content at moderate (54/100), language at intense (71/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 49% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea19
  • Czechia18+
  • Greece15
  • Hungary18
  • Netherlands12
  • PortugalM/18
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 70% of all filmsHeavier than 49% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 48%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 63%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 58%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 25%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Flatliners have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Flatliners?

Cast

Kiefer Sutherland
as Nelson Wright
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Julia Roberts
as Dr. Rachel Mannus
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kevin Bacon
as David Labraccio
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
William Baldwin
as Joe Hurley
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Oliver Platt
as Randy Steckle
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kimberly Scott
as Winnie Hicks
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Joshua Rudoy
as Billy Mahoney
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Benjamin Mouton
as Rachel's Father
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Aeryk Egan
as Young Nelson
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kesha Reed
as Young Winnie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Flatliners?

Movies like Flatliners include Flatliners (2017), Gran Torino (2008) and Immortal (2004). Of the 4 closest matches, half are redemption stories, and most are found-family stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Flatliners?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: scientist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.