The Lazarus Effect follows medical researchers Frank Walton (Mark Duplass) and his fiancée Zoe McConnell (Olivia Wilde) who developed a serum, codenamed "Lazarus," originally intended to extend the time that people can safely be brought back from dying without brain damage. Instead, what they realize they have is a serum to return life to the dead.
Not only that, but after a trial with a dog, they discover it does much more than even they had thought, giving the animal increased brain activity and aggression.
After the company that funded their research is bought out and they seize everything for their unauthorized animal testing, the team decides they must recreate the experiment as proof of their creation, and break back into the lab.
However, before they can complete another resurrection, Zoe is fatally electrocuted during the experiment.