Flatliners (2017) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

Medical students challenge death and are forced to confront the guilt behind their buried mistakes.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

The Forbidden Experiment

Courtney persuades her classmates to test temporary death in an unused hospital room. Ray helps revive her, while Marlo discovers the secret experiment.

Key Events

• Courtney Proposes Flatlining — Courtney proposes stopping her heart for sixty seconds while recording her brain. Characters: Courtney, Jamie, Sophia Location: Unused hospital room
• The First Flatline — Jamie defibrillates Courtney after Sophia objects to the dangerous experiment. Characters: Courtney, Jamie, Sophia Location: Unused hospital room
• Ray Restores Courtney — The students cannot revive Courtney until Ray arrives and helps restore her heartbeat. Characters: Courtney, Jamie, Sophia, Ray Location: Unused hospital room
• Marlo Learns The Secret — Marlo arrives and learns that the students have been secretly flatlining. Characters: Courtney, Jamie, Sophia, Ray, Marlo Location: Hospital

Euphoria Turns Dangerous

Courtney reports enhanced intelligence and euphoria, encouraging Jamie, Sophia, and Marlo to repeat the procedure. The students increase the duration and narrowly escape being caught.

Key Events

• Courtney Reports Euphoria — Courtney describes heightened intelligence and euphoria after her near-death experience. Characters: Courtney, Jamie, Sophia, Marlo Location: Medical school
• Jamie Chooses To Flatline — Envious of Courtney's reported effects, Jamie volunteers to stop his own heart. Characters: Jamie, Sophia, Marlo Location: Unused hospital room
• Jamie Sees His Guilt — Jamie experiences a disturbing vision involving his former relationship and an abandoned pregnancy. Characters: Jamie Location: Near-death vision
• The Group Extends The Test — Marlo and Sophia follow Jamie, increasing the duration of their experimental flatlines. Characters: Jamie, Sophia, Marlo Location: Unused hospital room
• The Students Flee — The students nearly get caught during Sophia's turn and flee the hospital. Characters: Jamie, Sophia, Marlo Location: Hospital corridors

Visions Of Buried Guilt

Each participant begins seeing disturbing figures or events connected to a past wrongdoing. Courtney records an apology that explains the personal reason behind her obsession.

Key Events

• The Students Flee — The students nearly get caught during Sophia's turn and flee the hospital. Characters: Jamie, Sophia, Marlo Location: Hospital corridors
• Private Visions Multiply — Each participant experiences a private vision connected to a past mistake. Characters: Courtney, Jamie, Sophia, Marlo Location: Various locations
• Courtney Records An Apology — Courtney records an apology and admits her obsession began with her sister's death. Characters: Courtney Location: Courtney's apartment
• Courtney Dies — Courtney is pushed from a fire escape by the apparition of her dead sister. Characters: Courtney Location: Fire escape

Consequences Without Escape

Courtney dies after being pushed from a fire escape, and the others attempt to remove evidence. Further visions make the survivors question whether they are being haunted or punished by guilt.

Key Events

• The Apartment Is Cleaned — The students clean Courtney's apartment because they fear discovery of the experiments. Characters: Jamie, Sophia, Marlo, Ray Location: Courtney's apartment
• Marlo Searches The Morgue — Marlo searches for Courtney's phone and is disturbed by additional visions. Characters: Marlo Location: Morgue
• Jamie Faces Another Haunting — Jamie hears a baby and a weeping woman, falls into the water, and is stabbed in the hand. Characters: Jamie Location: Boat and dock
• The Recording Connects Them — Courtney's recording reveals that all participants experienced related visions. Characters: Jamie, Sophia, Marlo, Ray Location: Medical school
• Guilt Replaces The Paranormal — The group confesses past mistakes and concludes that guilt causes the hallucinations. Characters: Jamie, Sophia, Marlo, Ray Location: Medical school

Confession And Self-Forgiveness

The group connects the visions to their concealed mistakes and begins admitting responsibility. Marlo's final flatline, confession, and survival lead to a subdued remembrance of Courtney.

Key Events

• Marlo And Ray Clash — Ray confronts Marlo about hiding the fatal medication error, and their argument becomes physical. Characters: Marlo, Ray Location: Medical school
• Marlo Crashes Her Car — Marlo hallucinates suffocation while driving and crashes her car. Characters: Marlo Location: Road
• Marlo Seeks Forgiveness — Marlo flatlines alone to seek forgiveness and sees Courtney tell her to forgive herself. Characters: Marlo Location: Unused hospital room
• Marlo Is Resuscitated — Ray, Sophia, and Jamie arrive in time to resuscitate Marlo. Characters: Marlo, Ray, Sophia, Jamie Location: Unused hospital room
• Marlo Confesses — Marlo confesses to the Dean and is placed on probation. Characters: Marlo Location: Dean's office
• The Friends Remember Courtney — Marlo, Ray, Sophia, and Jamie meet to reminisce about Courtney. Characters: Marlo, Ray, Sophia, Jamie Location: Memorial gathering

Story Breakdown

• Courtney's Obsession — Courtney's fascination with the afterlife motivates the forbidden medical experiment.
  • Secret Proposal — Courtney invites Jamie and Sophia to stop her heart while recording her brain.
  • Dangerous Assurance — She tells the others they will not be held responsible for an accident.
• Ray's Intervention — The first experiment nearly kills Courtney and establishes Ray as the cautious rescuer.
  • Failed Revival — Jamie and Sophia cannot restore Courtney after the sixty-second procedure.
  • Emergency Rescue — Ray arrives and helps bring Courtney back.
• Escalating Flatlines — The students repeat the experiment after Courtney reports heightened intelligence and euphoria.
  • Jamie's Envy — Jamie flatlines because he wants to experience Courtney's reported effects.
  • Hospital Escape — Marlo and Sophia participate, and the group flees when nearly caught.
• Guilt Made Visible — The near-death visions expose private wrongdoing that each participant has concealed.
  • Courtney's Sister — Courtney sees the sister whose death motivated her obsession.
  • Buried Mistakes — Jamie, Marlo, and Sophia encounter visions tied to their own harmful decisions.
• Courtney's Downfall — Courtney acknowledges the personal source of her experiment before dying under terrifying circumstances.
  • Recorded Apology — Courtney records a message admitting that her motive was grief rather than scientific discovery.
  • Fire Escape Death — An apparition of her dead sister pushes Courtney from a fire escape.
• Aftermath And Accountability — The survivors connect the visions to guilt, confront responsibility, and remember Courtney.
  • Collective Confession — The recording reveals their similar visions, leading them to admit their mistakes.
  • Marlo's Reckoning — Marlo flatlines seeking forgiveness, survives, and confesses to the Dean.
  • Final Remembrance — Marlo, Ray, Sophia, and Jamie gather to reminisce about Courtney.

Directed by

Niels Arden Oplev

Key Cast

• Elliot Page — Courtney
• Diego Luna — Ray
• Nina Dobrev — Marlo
• James Norton — Jamie
• Kiersey Clemons — Sophia