[yasr_overall_rating]
Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.
“Pulse” from 2001 is a byproduct of a long gone era when people thought that the internet was much more frightening than it really is. Don’t get me wrong, there are still some dangerous parts of the internet but “Pulse” stretches these elements into the fantasy realm. It was so successful as a Japanese film that it was ultimately translated into a much more inferior American movie during the period when Hollywood was trying to turn films like “Ringu” into Americanized fare. I like “Pulse,” it’s a very weird movie, but nowadays you’d probably be more accurate in describing the picture as a fantasy film with horror elements whereas when it was first made, it was labeled as a much more conventional horror movie.
The film revolves around the idea that the internet allows supernatural forces to exert their influences over the living. More specifically, communication breakdown. It would be very difficult to succinctly describe the plot of these films in a way that would be easily understood by readers. Instead, images convey almost as much. There’s a website called The Forbidden Room that displays individuals living in their small spaces. There’s also a miniature model of the world. The movie relies on these and several other ideas to disturb and move the viewer. Is this a bad idea? Hardly. It’s just a bit dated.
“Pulse” is not a film to approach for hope or optimism about the world. It’s a very bleak, hard driving film that leaves the viewer feeling rather cold about things. This isn’t a bad thing or a reason to avoid the movie, it’s just something that viewer should know about prior to watching.
Now available on a Special Edition Blu-ray + DVD from Arrow Video
