BA_Harrison When we are little, they tell us not to mess with electricity, but they don't tell us what to do if electricity messes with us. In Pulse, a young boy, David (Joey Lawrence), finds himself powerless against a malevolent electrical force (of possibly extraterrestrial origin) that travels from house to house causing fatal accidents and fires.The premise might sound a little far-fetched, but thanks to everyone involved opting to play it completely straight, the film comes across as a very credible techno horror/thriller, with Lawrence putting in a fine central performance as the boy who struggles to convince his father (Cliff De Young) of the truth.Director Paul Golding keeps the action moving at a fairly measured pace, gradually building the tension up to the inevitable 'humans versus electricity' finale, but he also includes a couple of exciting set pieces along the way—David almost coming a cropper in the garage and the scalding of his stepmother Ellen (Roxanne Hart) in the shower—as well as delivering some impressive macro photography of melting circuits, fuses and wires, and a cool synth score, all of which makes Pulse a nifty little '80s treat.

hellraiser7 Electricity is one of the elements that we rely even depend upon in our daily lives because most of what we use is electrical from watching TV, working on the computer, using the coffee maker, talking on a cell phone, you name it. But we also know it's not the most stable element as things have gone wrong or there have been fatal accidents. This causes us to live with the subconscious dread that the very things we rely upon can turn against us on a dime.This film is an under the radar gem, it's also kinda another one of my childhood gems if you can believe it since this is one of the first horror films I've ever seen.I really love the premise which I'll admit is a bit absurd, but I personally think it's a colorful and kinda cool premise, it's basically taking the old Haunted House motif but instead of ghosts it's electricity.I even like that there is mystery to this strange phenomena, we never really know why the hell this is happening, is it some forgotten experiment by the government or is there some cyberterriorst faction that has invented a sophisticated techno virus to attack our technology and infiltrate residences; I'm not sure you guess is as good as mine. But to me I feel that just adds to the scares it really gets to that subconscious fear that what we can't control or even understand can kill us.The pacing is solid it a steady build up but it does pay off in full. I really like the suspense where is a sort of paranoia were you are constantly afraid that the next appliance the character operate or get near will go haywire and hurt may'be kill them.The music is very good I really like the end theme song which I thought sounded cool and is one of my favorite end themes, it just has this exciting techno feel to it which fits the film.And the effects are great as their all practical, from how the electricity is animated and moves making it seem like some entity that's alive. We even see some nifty shots of circuit boards being burned, mercury melting and spreading, just all kinds of things fraking up. Though my favorite effect was with the TV where it was producing this moving lazer beam that just kept building up faster and faster.However what makes this film work the most is in the protagonist whom are likable characters you actually care about. I really liked the son played by Joey Lawerence. Yeah I use to watch the show "Blossom" but this film was before his fame on the show, all I can say is good start. I really thought he was sympathetic as he's a kid still adjusting to his father's recent divorce and his new life in it.Even like the father played by Cliff De Young and the foster mom by Roxane Hart both of them are some stereotypical disbelieving parents, I really love how this film breaks that tired cliché and actually has them on the kid's side. Both are rational people but their actually open minded because despite some disbelief even they both notice something not kosher with their appliances which defies logic. I'd personally behave the same way as both of them, with some of the stories we hear about what happened in the last two houses and witnessing how one appliance suddenly turns on without even pressing the on switch you have to wonder.Even like the little drama as we see both the father and son are trying to have a working relationship and even love the final conflict at the end when both are helping each other from the bad situation. Which I found touching because their doing what any good father and son would do, that's something I don't see often in the horror genre.Overall like any new electrical appliance this film is worth a spin, Pulse has a pulse.Rating: 3 stars

spost8260 I agree that some of the lines in this film are 'cheesy', but its been a long time since I've seen a film that actually gave me a good case of the creeps and this filled the bill. I'm sick of the blood, gore, sex and foul language. SOmetimes its okay, but gets painfully boring after awhile. I want to be able to be spooked or creeped out; to be able to walk away looking over my shoulder or wondering "what if" and this film was the last film ever made that gave me this feeling. Not many films do, because it seems blood and filth is what horror is supposed to be about. Well I like good old spooky stories, too and this film has what it takes to give you a good case of the creeps. If you like blood, gore and sex, then you probably wont like this film. But if you want to spend the next two weeks walking on the paranoid side, check it out!

palexandersquires This Movie was made, I think when Surge protectors were not very common. why did the Electricity board not check over that Transformer? I also ask myself, is it possible for that television 's ,components fuse together and not turn off? Also I think that the shower should of had an anti scald device fitted, as most modern showers have. I found the bit when you can see inside a telly, very interesting, I also cannot see, why no one came to the aid of the poor victims.I have all my appliances protected by surge protectors. I also found that old man, "it is the voice in the wires" ,frightening. He should not of scared David like that, but offer to help the victims to protect the houses. Indeed we do have too many gadgets in homes these days, but i do not think that they would try to kill us. Also the telephone is not on the same circuit as the mains, so that would not of been effected. do all American homes have a furnace in the basement?