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Pulse
User Score
6.0 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 26 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 26
  3. Negative: 8 out of 26

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  1. Arsal
    Sep 20, 2007
    9
    Kairo is an utter masterpiece. Nothing less, nothing more. It's not so much as the usual 'jump-because-we-said-so' horror movies being churned out as of late. It's atmospheric, dark, surreal, almost dream-like in some scenes. Recommended to everyone who's sick of blood and guts being spurted at the screen for no reason, and to fans of art-house cinema.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. ChadS.
    Aug 19, 2006
    6
    [***SPOILERS***] "Kairo" isn't entirely successful but it's still vastly superior to the remake I saw yesterday. Thankfully, there's nothing pale and naked coming out of a coin-operated laundry machine. In "Pulse", you see the influence of the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", but in the Japanese original, the source of inspiration is more explicit. It's the 1978 version with Donald Sutherland. What's also interesting is how the ghosts are presented. They're reminiscent of the monoliths from "2001: A Space Odyessy". What ultimately prevents "Kairo", however, from joining the ranks of first-rate J-horror flicks, is a short supply of interesting characters saying interesting things. The two girls who traveled across the Pacific and morphed into Kristin Bell and Kristina Milian are equally wretched, but at least with two storylines, they're not constantly on screen.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. BobN
    May 25, 2009
    9
    Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films appeal to me. I am a thinker (I am not saying I am smarter than everyone.) I have thought a lot about the dangerous era we have entered in the past 20 years or so with technology. As Postman and McLuhan pointed out, the recent generations of folks born in advanced countries are the first in history to suffer from information glut. We are boldly going...finish the sentence. There has to be a cost to this technology. This film plays on that realistic fear, the fear of the unkown, the fear of alienation, the fear of technology. This is not a 2001 the computers will kill you fear, this is a deep-seated psychological/spiritual dillema. The film does drag at times, and the characters act annoyingly odd at times as well. The ever present atmoshpere, the ever present ideas, create one of the creepiest and best "horror" films I have seen. Note: I usually hate horror films. They tend to be "shock" films with no dread or horror. Pulse (the Japanese version, not the horrid American version) is a true horror film. There is no comparison with the original and the remake. The remake is horrible and empty of the spirit of the original. Great stuff.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  4. ClarkE.
    Nov 19, 2005
    8
    I'm not sure why so many people were confused by this movie. I found it easy to piece together. It's not really horrifying, but it's incredibly atmospheric and affecting, and leads the viewer to believe that they would themselves give in if confronted with this situation.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  5. keithw.
    Nov 20, 2005
    3
    Twilight Zone far superior edit edit edit!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  6. RadCompanyDotNet
    Dec 5, 2005
    8
    Pulse's horror is of the slowly creeping, paralyzing variety, letting our minds fill in the unknown gaps as we struggle to grasp what evil may lurk. Japanese horror has honed it's edge on the principle that fear is a dish best served covered, never revealing what dessert awaits in it's final act.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  7. EdwardV.
    Feb 28, 2006
    0
    This movie is a damn boring and useless piece of crap. I just spent money on two rentals including this one and Memory Killer, another waste of time,because of the positive reviews by the critics on this site, so I am very angry.It seems that some reviewers on here have an unnatural prejudice FOR these cheap, vague, and dark foreign movies. I am making a list of the positive reviewers, including Ken Fox,Sean Axmaker, AnitaGates and Michael Wilmington, and I won't trust their reviews ever again.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  8. ChazG.
    Mar 17, 2006
    1
    I'm a big fan of foreign films. This film could have gone somewhere... Unfortunatly it goes nowhere and isn't even the slightest bit frightening. If you choose to watch this film, expect to feel your time was wasted.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  9. JonnyV.
    Apr 29, 2006
    2
    giving it a 2 is a very generous rating, as it make no sence, and lacked being even remotely scary, a waste of my precious, precious time.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  10. KurtC.
    Aug 13, 2006
    7
    It wasn't so much scary as it was chilling. It brings a fresh viewpoint to the thriller genre that certainly makes you rethink just how dependent we are getting on instant communication. The cinematography is more mood-setting than eerie. Kristin Bell did an excellent job in her first movie roll. I'm looking for to more from her.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  11. timc
    Nov 21, 2005
    1
    Oh my. I saw this at the Nuart in LA and let me say, PLEASE dont spend a penny on this pretensiously lousy movie. The story is so weak, I cannot think of ANY other movie in recent memory, if EVER that has as many holes. The effects are like something you see on a Playstation commercial (esp. the plane that crashes). The supposed highlight in fright, when the woman is walking in slow mo... Oh My Goodness! That's suposed to be scary? Not even a 5 year old kid would be scared (if you take out the screaming of the guy hiding behind the couch). To top it off, the ending is so lameTo be honest, I felt ripped off, not the cash necessarily, that was not the big deal, but it's an insult to the crowd and their friends, dates, etc. That's how I honestly felt.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  12. Jenny
    Feb 28, 2006
    9
    Loved it. There were a few cheeseball scenes, but overall was a creepy departure from the usual. I found many scenes absolutely riveting and original, depsite somewhat of a lack of cohesive narrative to drive the story.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  13. KelR.
    Jun 23, 2006
    9
    This movie seemed like it was made in the 80's or something because of poor clarity. Besides that, and the fact you have to read subtitles, it's astoundingly great. The story of this movie is top notch, and ths special effects will blow you away. Simply put if you LOVE asian horror than you MUST see this movie!
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  14. CharlotteP
    Apr 13, 2011
    5
    Unnerving, but slightly irksome and glacially-paced Japanese horror film that didn't quite deliver on its promise. It's a precursor to the glut of similar films that followed it, and might be appreciated more if you have never seen Dark Water, The Grudge, or the Ring, shallow though that sounds; although you can appreciate the artistry you're left bemused.
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
  1. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Stina Chyn
    60
    A horror film that scares you to insomnia is good in the sense that it succeeds in what it sets out to do.
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  2. Variety
    Reviewed by: Derek Elley
    70
    Result is always watchable, occasionally creepy and teasingly pitched halfway between a genre riff and a genuine scarefest.
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  3. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Scott Tobias
    80
    Storytelling clarity has never been a Kurosawa strong suit, yet Pulse baffles even under those standards, so it's best to just get on his abstract wavelength and ride the thing out.
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