Round Trip, The Near Death Experience

According to this video, over 8 million Americans have had a near death experience. This documentary interviews near death survivors, as well as theologians and experts on the subject. Although there are some differences in survivor testimony, there are also remarkable similarities. Experiences include being in a dark tunnel rushing towards a white light, being greeted by departed family members, feelings of peace and joy, out of body sensations, and objective views looking down at their own struggle between life and death. In the end, something calls them back to life. For those lucky enough to survive the brush with death, it can prove to be a life enhancing experience. The fear of death is lost, and a renewed sense of purpose is often found, which survivors then wish to communicate to others. No claims for an afterlife are made, but one author feels survivors have breached an artificial barrier between life and death. The talking heads presentation gets a bit tedious and repetitious, but the filmmakers probably couldn't find another approach without seeming dishonest. (How do you dramatize a near death experience?) Recommended, with reservations. (S. Rees)