pseawrig
As you have probably gathered from the other reviews, this film badly needed a script doctor. If you watch films only to watch "stories," then move on. If, however, you appreciate stylish. dreamlike imagery and provocative dramatic situations, then this film does have something to offer. "Pulse" has been running on Showtime (under the title "Octane") and I have watched long sections of it several times. As scenes and sequences, many of these sections are quite compelling. I would like to see what this film's screenwriter(s) produce in five or ten years and I would like to see this director work with more coherent material.
TheSixStringGeisha
I watched this film tonight and felt it warranted a review.I'll attempt to keep things vague, so I won't give too many specifics for those that have yet to see the film.I give this film a 'P' for potential because that's what screamed out to me as the end credits rolled. I say that with a hefty weight of frustration because although it had entertainment value and some good elements … in the end, it didn't pull through. It felt like half a film … one part directed with a degree of care and consideration ... the latter willy-nilly, rushed and confused.The casting of Madeleine Stowe as Senga was aces in my book. I believe she worked brilliantly with the material and direction she was given; not to mention, she's lovely to look at on screen.A couple of miscasts, were Mischa Barton (Nat) and Bijou Phillips (Backpacker). Although the latter is an actress I believe hasn't been given the opportunity or roles to really stretch the talent that's below the surface ... this was hardly the vehicle to do that. As for Mischa, she fell lock step into the typical Hollywood casting of 'whose in now' to pack the 'right' demographics into theater seats. She didn't move me one way or the other.Unfortunately, in a film like this, which isn't blatant studio tripe like ... well ... I'll keep that to myself, casting 'it girls' just doesn't work and it proves to degrade the film and weaken it's punch.When I think of what Rachel Miner could've done in the 'Nat' role … I get goose bumps.Okay, setting aside my armchair critic snobbery, I'll get to the point.There were some shots in this film that were really good! I do say that intentionally. The first scene at the beginning of the film set the tone, but later on, the atmosphere didn't hold.In the beginning, we are introduced to a traffic accident, under the guise that the victims have been rescued and then we get our first shock; the way this scene is executed was really impressive to me. As a viewer (and lover of thrillers and horror), this immediately drew me in. From then on, the tension held … well ... for a little bit and then some silly directing and editing flubs turned it cheesy … that is until we met 'The Father' played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers.Meyers has a great gift of turning something potentially stomach churning, into something intoxicating and alluring. When he's on screen it's like having a guilty pleasure intensified or maybe worst, thinking about masturbating in church … it's so very wrong … but when you're doing it--feels so very right.However, even he went the way of cheesy during his minuscule screen time toward the end … I blame it on direction (hey, sorry, but keepin it real!).The other issue is one I already touched on, there were some editing snafus that caused the film to drag in spots and at one point I nearly tuned out altogether. In a film like this, where mystery and tension is the key to it's success, the scenes and elements within them have to be timed well and hell ... make sense! I don't need everything spelled out for me, but repetition should be avoided. All creepy things and unnecessary drama in moderation … please! Finally, if I may be allowed to take a few liberties with this review … I'd compare this film to Katheryn Bigelow's Near Dark. Of course Near Dark is a far superior film especially for it's time and genre, but one of the great elements it had was that it never explicitly stated that the villains were vampires. Pulse/Octane basically followed the same route, keeping things ambiguous in that sense, which I felt really worked (at least until they threw in some rushed explanations for the antagonists motives toward the end).Vampirism is a strong theme in Octane/Pulse but it's never clearly defined. There is biting, but no fangs, nothing about the undead and no folklore. It tries to avoid many typical vampire clichés, although unable to avoid all – like, hyper-sexuality (which, I dig—in moderation) and blood-letting.I believe, that with some changes, this film could've become the cult classic (and beyond) that ND has, but unfortunately it became muddled and fizzled out halfway through the story.In the end, I'd say … catch it on it's free run at Hulu. It will be well worth the few dollars you save renting it. However, if you miss it there, it's worth giving it a shot on cable and if all else fails … rent it.I'd give it a 6 out of 10 Overall good acting by Stowe and Meyers, some interesting shots and tension for first half of film.
markericcastillo
The "father" really is Satan. When the mother crashes her car into the sign, it read "after a thousand years Satan will be released from his prison". They drink blood. "the father" knows your secrets. The cult members said, the "father" took their pain away, and set them free. In the end when he's blown up to pieces, he didn't die. There are so many hidden references to what is to come, or maybe he's already here. But this movie is trying to tell us. The "father" was making the mother hallucinate throughout the movie, he came to her as that man from the television and put her in a trance. He is Satan and he has the power to manipulate the weak minded. this movie was excellent if you know your history of Satan and how our world and society came to be since ancient sumeria, babylon and Egypt.
