Pulse (Arrow Video): Blu-ray Review
The Movie:
A group of young people in Tokyo begin to experience strange phenomena involving missing co-workers and friends, technological breakdown, and a mysterious website which asks the compelling question, “Do you want to meet a ghost?” After the unexpected suicides of several friends, three strangers set out to explore a city which is growing more empty by the day, and to solve the mystery of what lies within a forbidden room in an abandoned construction site, mysteriously sealed shut with red packing tape.
I love horror films but J-Horror holds a special place in my heart. The genre tends to be a lot more creative and have a bit more of a message blanketing the film. Pulse exudes just that and did it in a way that kept my attention to the screen at all times despite it being subtitled. When watching this film then comparing it to the American remake you can easily see how America will make films more extravagant and exaggerated but when you look at this version it does so much more with so much less. There aren’t many jump scares but there are moments that will creep you out and chill you to the bone which I will take that in horror film any day. The plot is really interesting as this was around the time that the internet and social media really started to get popular and it presents this look at being too connected to technology and becoming emotionally despondent. Not many horror films tackle things like that and that’s what makes it so unique. Now with that said, this isn’t the best J-Horror movie out there and there are moments where the plot does drag a little but it’s definitely a solid film that will keep you thinking about it well after watching it. 7/10
Special Features:
Broken Circuits – New interview with director Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Creepy Images – New interview with cinematographer Junichiro Hayashi
The Horror Of Isolation – Filmmakers Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett talk about their appreciation for the film.
“Making Of” Documentary – Pretty cool behind the scenes look at the production of the film.
Premiere Footage From The Cannes Film Festival
