Impulse - Stadt der Gewalt

This is a kind of a mixed review. First, I'll get to the stuff that I liked about "Impulse". The movie doesn't try to do too much right away, instead attempting to slowly build a sense of terror. The protagonists are less stupid than what you usually get in a movie like this, figuring that something is wrong fairly early on. The actions of the sick townspeople are believable and creepy. And some of the photography is really good, giving the viewer some striking images.

Now, the bad stuff. The movie is ultimately TOO slow for its own good. If things were speeded up a little bit, the movie would have had an acceptable pace. While some of the photography is good, much of the movie has a flat made-for-TV feel (not surprising, since this was made by the ABC television network.) The revelation of what's causing the mayhem is not done by detective work, but more feels like the screenwriters were getting near the end and felt they had to reveal it right there and then. The ending is also unsatisfying, leaving several big questions unanswered.

Now for something completely different. I didn't know what to make of this film when I first saw it, back in 86'. I was surprised too that Tim Matheson was in this, after remembering his grand comic role in Up The Creek. Even though I loved this movie, because you didn't know what crazy thing was gonna happen next, where it's story sucked in, you so desperately wanted to know why these people were acting so crazy, when being told it's reasons at the end, I found it just too hard to buy. I'll never forget the snapping back finger scene in the bar, by that guy who didn't like having to wait, to have a chance to dance with Tilly. What you learn at the end, was that aerial spraying that still happens today, contaminated this milk at this plant, where there was an earthquake prior. Matheson drinks the milk that has this toxic substance. His Girlfriend, Tilly doesn't, but her brother, a younger Bill Paxton and the father do. Aha. It was just too much to buy that something like happening, could send people into such hysteric and violent states, as if acting on impulse, may'be the most dangerous emotion, where rational thought takes a backseat. The destructive and violent acts shown in the movie, some quite frightening, are impactful. This movie's a good watch, mainly 'cause it's different, if unique. Even the sex scene between Tilly and Matheson, where things hotted up, got frightening, when I first watched it. But remember, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. I love the realization Matheson made when he found the spark of his violent acts, like a swell of relief one would say, amidst all the madness we saw prior. The end too worked well, this time the credits, unaccompanied by music, but a howl of wind, Tilly, standing forlorn, and resolute. The fight must on, as life.

I saw this movie on SciFi the other day and must say it was like no other. A lot of cool scenes with people doing crazy s**t, cause they're acting on their first impulse and giving no second thoughts to their actions AKA some funny s**t. It didn't seem like it was that old a movie until the dude puts on a sleeveless jacket. Well this is my first attempt at writing a review for a movie so whatever. I'm gonna write more so hopefully they'll get better and if they don't then go cry to your mother!

Part of me doesn't know how to rate this, because I saw it years and years ago, but it's one of those films which left a vivid impression on me. "Impulse" is the story of a town who due to an unknown chemical in the milk supply(the townspeople never know) begin to lose all impulse control.

What follows are increasingly disturbing scenes, which flow into each other, blankly, as a sheriff opens fire on young delinquents, a mother watches nonchalantly as her children light one of her friends on fire, doctors turn off life support, and sexual laws and norms completely breakdown. It's a bleak film, where impulses like curiosity, the desire to save others, are spare, and sex and violence all but absolute by the films apocalyptic end, involving a government cleansing with a crop duster. One of those odd sci-fi films you watch late at night and confuse for a dream till see the box in the video one day. Be interesting to take a second look.

I wasn't expecting much from this when it came on TV and was half-watching while doing computer stuff but it pretty soon drew me in. The characters and their interactions were much more realistic than I expected and the acting was really good. Last night I watched World War Z a big budget 'zombie' film from 2013 starring Brad Pitt and it was really poor - Impulse is a far more mature and involving treatment of a broadly similar theme.