Pulse (2006)

Director:

Jim Sonzero

Writers (WGA):

Wes Craven (screenplay) and
Ray Wright (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 August 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

You are now infected.

Plot:

When their computer hacker friend accidentally channels a mysterious wireless signal, a group of co-eds rally to stop a terrifying evil from taking over the world.

Plot Keywords:

Computer | Epidemic | Internet | Hanging | Psychology

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kristen Bell	...	Mattie
Ian Somerhalder	...	Dexter
Christina Milian	...	Isabelle Fuentes
Rick Gonzalez	...	Stone
Jonathan Tucker	...	Josh
Samm Levine	...	Tim
Octavia Spencer	...	Landlady (as Octavia L. Spencer)
Ron Rifkin	...	Dr. Waterson
Joseph Gatt	...	Dark Figure
Kel O'Neill	...	Douglas Zieglar
Zach Grenier	...	Professor Cardiff
Riki Lindhome	...	Janelle
John Burke	...	Newscaster
Mike J. Regan	...	Phantom (as Mike Regan)
Steve Tom	...	Male Newscaster #2

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi terror, disturbing images, language, sensuality and thematic material.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | UK:15 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Taiwan:R-12 | USA:PG-13 (Edited for re-rating) | Malaysia:18SG | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Indonesia:Dewasa | Finland:K-15 | Portugal:M/16 | Malaysia:U (cut) | South Korea:15 | France:-12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:16 | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Philippines:R-13 | USA:R (original rating) | Ireland:16 | South Africa:16

Filming Locations:

Bucharest, Romania

Company:

Weinstein Company, The

Trivia:

In an interview with Fangoria magazine, the director assured readers that key scenes from the original movie, in particular the tower jump suicide, would be retained. This scene is absent from the theatrical version. However, the scene is present in the unrated version

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Help Me messages appear on the screen during the group online chat session the appearance of the text goes from "Help Me" to "HelpMe" between shots.

Quotes:

Isabell Fuentes: Do you know what dying tastes like? Metal.

Movie Connections:

References End of Days (1999)

Soundtrack:

Goodness of the Girl

A solid, sometimes rewarding look at modern living

Pulse is a relatively close translation of a subtle Japanese horror film called "Kairo". Unlike its brethren (Ring, Grudge, etc.) Kairo was less a fantastical horror film than a grim psychological look at modern, tech-laden urban living. Despite a lot of slick looking supernatural content, Pulse largely succeeds in preserving the focus of the original--steering our attention to individuals rather than ghosts or evil entities.

The plot, which some will find tough to embrace, has a computer virus interacting with ghosts of some kind. The end result is a suicide pandemic striking all known urban areas. To the extent that the film focuses on ghosts and computers, it is easy to fault the plot for its lack of continuity and simplistic explanations--and this is really the central problem with the film; not the plot mind you, but the extent to which the film gets side-tracked with expository content that shifts focus away from the individuals struggling with depression and isolation to its devices (ghosts/computers).

Minus the ending and superfluous explanations, Pulse is good. And relevant. And really, relevance is what makes it good. It's not tough to spot the growing paradox of ever-increasing connectedness and isolation in our world of text messages, email and mass-produced culture. Pulse uses this paradox and exaggerates, and to a large extent, succeeds in provoking thought and maybe a glimmer of recognition.