Pulse - Du bist tot bevor Du stirbst (Pulse)
U.S.A. 2006

Opening 30 Nov 2006

Directed by: Jim Sonzero
Writing credits: Ray Wright, Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Principal actors: Kirsten Bell, Ian Somerhalder, Christina Milian, Rick Gonzalez, Jonathan Tucker

This thriller by Jim Sonzero has all the elements of a scary movie: shadows, flickering lights, cockroaches, maggots, isolation and fresh naïve faces (new actors Kristen Bell, Ian Somerhalder, Rick Gonzales, and Christina Milian). The only prop missing is a pool of blood. The opening credits run through mysterious computer codes – a hint of what is to come, namely computer ghosts, which manifest as viruses and infect computers and mobile phones and finally people, who then commit suicide before crumbling into ash. Thus does Mattie lose boy friend Josh as well as several other college friends. In the end, she and new-found friend Dexter drive through a depopulated city to a countryside WiFi-free safe area designated by the government. Will they make it? Tune in to Pulse 2, which is probably in the works already. As with several previous thrillers, e.g., The Grudge and The Ring, this film also originally came from Japan and is based on the 2001 film Kairo by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Wes Craven (of Scream fame) rewrote the screenplay for Western tastes. You might not leap out of your chair for fright as producer Joel Soisson predicts, but the music and sound effects are effective and red utility type will suddenly seem very important. (Becky Tan)