Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 3 nominations
Koji Yakusho
- Ship Captain
- (as Kôji Yakusho)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaKiyoshi Kurosawa: (at around 16 min. into the film) While Kawashima is looking at the various people moping around in a catatonic state via web cam, there is one man who appears to be sleeping on his desk. He then wakes up, raises his head, and looks straight into the camera, facing us. That man is Kurosawa Kiyoshi, writer and director of this film.
- Quotes
Ghost: Death was... eternal loneliness.
- ConnectionsEdited into Pulse (2006)
- SoundtracksHane Lay Down My Arms
Performed by Cocco
Featured review
As Cold & Creepy As It Is Tedious & Tiring
A cold, creepy & confounding horror that unfortunately overstays its welcome in the end, Pulse (also known as Kairo) is downright eerie during the first act as it creates an ominous aura of dread & uncertainty with its uncanny premise, freaky imagery & inexplicable body counts but thanks to its glacial pace, uninviting quality & overlong runtime, sitting through it is a slog.
Written & directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the film is devoid of cheap tricks & clichéd elements that plague most horror films and makes for an interesting examination of isolation & loneliness. Kurosawa allows plenty of space for the plot to unravel but it also slows down the narrative by a considerable extent. And with no deftly scripted character to latch on to, it becomes an infuriating journey.
Also lessening the overall impact is the uneven script & seemingly opaque structure that has our curiosity at first but slowly loses it as the story crawls towards the finish line. An added focus on a single storyline instead of two, a steadier pace than usual & a bit more transparency could've enhanced the overall experience without diluting its effectiveness. It is 119 mins long on paper but feels twice as lengthy.
Overall, Pulse isn't going to appeal to everyone's taste but for those who have the endurance to sit through this chore and patiently connect with what Kurosawa was going for here may find the ride rewarding. The snail-paced narration is probably a deliberate choice but it also alienates the film from a wider viewership. Nonetheless, for those who are sick & tired of the typical, predictable & thinly layered horror films, Pulse might just be what they are looking for.
Written & directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the film is devoid of cheap tricks & clichéd elements that plague most horror films and makes for an interesting examination of isolation & loneliness. Kurosawa allows plenty of space for the plot to unravel but it also slows down the narrative by a considerable extent. And with no deftly scripted character to latch on to, it becomes an infuriating journey.
Also lessening the overall impact is the uneven script & seemingly opaque structure that has our curiosity at first but slowly loses it as the story crawls towards the finish line. An added focus on a single storyline instead of two, a steadier pace than usual & a bit more transparency could've enhanced the overall experience without diluting its effectiveness. It is 119 mins long on paper but feels twice as lengthy.
Overall, Pulse isn't going to appeal to everyone's taste but for those who have the endurance to sit through this chore and patiently connect with what Kurosawa was going for here may find the ride rewarding. The snail-paced narration is probably a deliberate choice but it also alienates the film from a wider viewership. Nonetheless, for those who are sick & tired of the typical, predictable & thinly layered horror films, Pulse might just be what they are looking for.
helpful•53
- CinemaClown
- May 28, 2020
- How long is Pulse?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $51,420
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $7,250
- Nov 13, 2005
- Gross worldwide
- $318,451
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