Plot: What’s it about?
Mattie Webber (Kristen Bell) hasn’t seen her boyfriend in over a week, which has her worried and prompts her to pay him a surprise visit. But instead of getting answers, she finds herself as a witness to his death, but not before his behavior sends chills down her spine. He seems distant and not like himself, then he walked into another room and took his own life. This played out right in front of Mattie’s eyes, enough to scar anyone, but this wouldn’t be the end of her trauma. Soon after his death, Mattie and her friends began to receive instant messages from him, as if he was reaching out from beyond the grave. The messages only asked for help and in order to end the situation, one of the friends went to his apartment to shut off his computer. But while there, the same eerie mood was present and the friend experienced an unusual encounter with a spirit of some kind. Meanwhile, the campus around the students was plagued by suicides, most of them unexplained. When more of Mattie’s friends take their own lives, she begins to suspect a dark force is in motion. She finds the man who bought her boyfriend’s computer, who then discovers that he unleashed some kind of cutting edge virus. But as more bodies pile up and the situation grows darker, can anyone survive this new virus?
As a horror fan, times have been tough of late. After all, most genre movies tend to be bloodless, PG-13, or half ass remakes, not fertile ground for great entertainment. One prominent trend to remake Asian horror hits, often with mediocre results. Pulse is one such remake, though to be fair, this isn’t another scary kid movie, so that is one positive sign. The original Pulse was a slow, but tense experience, one that turned the screws tight and gave us a deliberate, but intense ride. This version takes a different road, with a brisker pace and while this remake isn’t as good as the original, it was a fun distraction. I know all the cliches on deck, but the concept is a cool one and the movie has some memorable moments. The unrated edition presented here includes a couple of powerful scenes excised from the theatrical cut, so fans should be thankful for that. I admit however, I was drawn to Pulse because of Kristen Bell, best known as television’s Veronica Mars. She is quite good here, especially by horror standards, not to mention she is white hot. Pulse is no genre classic, but it is solid and offers some eerie moments, which is more than most horror movies offer these days. This HD-DVD release provides enhanced visuals, while retaining all the bonus materials from the standard edition. So if you want to have Pulse in your collection, this HD-DVD option is the way to go.
Video: How does it look?
Pulse is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This movie has a unique visual design, one that is bathed in darkness and off balance colors. In other words, you can’t judge this transfer on the usual scale, you have to compare this version to the intended vision. I saw Pulse in theaters and on standard DVD, so I think I know how the film should look and without question, it looks good here. The visuals are very crisp and refined, with high detail visible at all times. A few scenes come off as on the soft side, but with a movie this dark, you have to expect some instances like that. The contrast is spot on, with deep blacks and accurate balances, so detail isn’t obscured even in the darkest moments. As far as colors, the hues have a metallic presence with a lot of green tint, but that is how things should be. All in all, I found this to be an impressive presentation and the film’s visuals can really shine in this release.
Audio: How does it sound?
The soundtrack of choice here is a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 option, which provides us a deep, effective presentation. The atmosphere is bolstered by an ever present sense of impending doom, thanks to this track that makes sure dread is always looming in the speakers. The soundtrack enhances the tension quite a bit, from the cheap scare shocks to the general environment. I found the lower key moments to be more impressive, as subtle touches are used to keep us on edge, but the soundtrack is impressive all around. The music isn’t good, but it is well handled here, so no concerns there. I found no issues with dialogue, so vocals remain clean and free from errors throughout. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
In a welcome move, all of the bonus materials from the standard DVD have been ported over, so fans don’t have to bemoan missing supplements. You’ll find two audio commentaries here, one with director Jim Sonzero and makeup effects creator Gary Tunnicliffe, the other with star Samm Levine and several members of the production staff. I found the first track to be the better of the two, with a wealth of insight into the production, both from personal and professional perspectives. Sonzero is candid about his first spin in the director’s chair, so the track has more than a few worthwhile moments. The second track is less focused, but still has good information, especially in regard to stories of the shoot in Romania. This disc also includes some deleted scenes, three brief featurettes, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
