Pulse? Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

Over the past few years I’ve seen a seemingly endless line of films that have a great idea – but the idea is never fully explored. The plot tests the patience of the viewer, and the climax never really brings the satisfaction one would expect. While the idea of a ‘bad guy’ winning is nothing new, it’s safe to say that if you are going to pull an Empire Strikes Back, you better have earned it. “Pulse” did not.

The acting was second to none with Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) and Ian Somerhalder (Lost) turning in solid horror-movie class performances. Bell is torn as her boyfriend has killed himself for no apparent reason, Somerhalder finds out the reason after he buys the dead guy’s computer. Turns out a college project discovered an ‘Ultra Wide Band’ Wi-Fi that opened a doorway to the dead. The dead see you and suck out your will to live rendering you into a depressed pile of ash unless you’ve hermetically sealed yourself into a room with the use of red utility tape.

Yes, that’s right. That’s the plot. That’s the whole. Damned. Thing.

How the heck the movie could have made it to print without an ending is beyond me, the idea looked strong enough – at least to be entertaining, but the story developed far too slow, didn’t have a good enough hook to keep the viewer (me) interested, and when the mystery solution fails – there better be a damned option B that doesn’t involve a near verbatim clone of the ending to a Terminator film crossed with 28 Days Later!

Rent it and give it a view, but if you spend more than $2.95 consider yourself flatlined.

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