Caffeinated Clint
Feels like yesterday I pedaled my ten-speed into the city to see this ‘freaky-looking’ new movie starring then it-duo Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland (they were the ‘power couple’ of the day until Jason Patric entered the picture. Or something). The story of five medical students experimenting with death, “Flatliners” was a gorgeous looking movie (no surprise, even director Joel Schumacher’s Batman films looked a treat – he’s an artist, even when he’s not telling stories well), with amazing visuals, a killer storyline (bad choice of words), and some terrific performances from it’s then-young ensemble, which also included serial supporting player Oliver Platt, Kevin Bacon (in one of his darker roles), and William Baldwin – a year off from being promoted to leading man with “Backdraft”. Sutherland played Nelson, the ringleader of the students, and the one who essentially eggs everyone on to dance with the devil. By the film’s end, he’s danced with the devil enough and ready for a good nap. And headcheck.
When the remake was announced a few months ago, one just assumed it’d be another of these shot-for-shot redoes that aren’t a shade on the original and are in and out of theaters quicker than a streaker. But a bit of a casting news today suggests that mightn’t be the case, and that maybe the new “Flatliners” is more of the “Star Trek” (2009) variety than the “About Last Night…” (2012) variety.
Deadline reports that Kiefer Sutherland is joining the film to play a “seasoned doctor”. Cryptic, right? Almost like the production is hiding something? Sutherland, who has a new TV series, nearly couldn’t do the film but they’ve made it work. Apparently went to some trouble, too. Now why on earth would Sutherland shift his schedule, let alone do this, if he’s simply going to be playing some new, nondescript doctor in a straight-up redo of his own film? It makes no sense. The guy is hardly struggling for work. He’s still a hot commodity. As I said, he’s still a major power player – especially in TV. One can’t imagine Sutherland would feel half as obligated, less interested, in doing “Flatliners” (2017) unless he was reprising… Nelson.
If only because the trades are reporting it as major casting news for the film, Sutherland’s part in the film isn’t a mere cameo.. it’s piovtal. What could be more pivotal to a new “Flatliners” film than having the original ‘Flatliner’ come back to help these new kids out of trouble once they start – doing what did 25 years earlier – playing with fire? Likely one of the lead characters seeks out ‘Doctor’ Nelson and asks for his help, having ‘been there before’, when they all get over their heads. The fact that Oscar Winner Michael Douglas (Sutherland’s co-star in “The Sentinel”), who produced the 1990 film, is producing this film also lends weight to Sutherland returning to reprise Nelson – Sutherland’s more likely to bite if Michael is doing the calling. But as I said, if Sutherland isn’t playing Nelson then… consider me confused. He doesn’t need this ‘remake’. If anything, he might simply be adding to it’s unworthiness by appearing in – as a new character. Guess we’ll find out soon enough whether our instinct is correct because the movie is going to shoot in a week (!) in Toronto.
In addition to Sutherland, the new movie will star Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton and Kiersey Clemens as the five main students. Niels Arden Oplev (the Swedish ”Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”, TV’s ”Mr. Robot”) directs and Ben Ripley (“Source Code”) wrote.
