Pulse

Frankly I just don't like Joey Lawrence. I don't hate but he annoys me so. It's just so interesting to see him in peril. Anyway this is kind of an unusual more that's original but not that great. It has some good scenes and it's interesting how the evil electricity makes the deaths look like accidents but beyond that there's nothing special. This sometimes plays on Space (a Canadian Sci-Fi channel)

Late one night, Bill and his girlfriend Ellen were woke up by their neighbour who was yelling at the top of his lungs inside of his home. When the cops arrived, the man was dead and the house had wires hanging from the ceiling and the walls. We are then introduced to Bill's son David who is staying with Bill and his new wife for the summer. Pretty soon, David begins to see weird things happening to the television set in the house. The picture goes in and out, and it turns on and off on it's own. similar strange things happen to other appliances around the house as well. It quickly becomes apparent to both son and father that something is not right, and that an evil electrical "Pulse" is growing within their house.

I got Pulse in the horror section, but it's more of a sci-fi/thriller flick. And a pretty good one at that! The plot of "killer appliances" may sound ridiculous, but 'Pulse' does a good job at making it realistic enough for a full length film. We see that the characters are in actual danger because of the electrical force, and that the pulse can cause serious occurrences such as gas leaks and water burns. The acting was a positive, Joseph Lawrence (who was at a very young age) did a great job in the lead. Cliff De Young and Roxanne Hart were great as well. Some of the special effects were effective as well. 'Pulse' takes us inside of the television at one point as shows us all of the wiring. It's done well.

The bodycount is pretty much non-existent, therefore 'Pulse' isn't a much of horror film. It's an effective sci-fi/thriller film that is worth a look if you come across it.

6/10

This one wasn't so much frightening as it was an interesting attempt at a horror/sci-fi mix. I think the script needed a little juking, a few more twists and turns and genuinely suspenseful moments, before I could recommend it. There was a little too much macro-photography of wires melting, and not enough attention paid to the characters (one of the major ones is inexplicably written out of the story before the climax.) I never thought I'd say this, but Joey Lawrence actually gives a good performance, and there are some nice, subtle moments-- particularly some strong observations about family. I was never scared, but the ambiguity & unusual premise kept me interested. I think POLTERGEIST was much more effective in creating horror in inanimate objects. Still, a good try. 6/10.

I agree that some of the lines in this film are 'cheesy', but its been a long time since I've seen a film that actually gave me a good case of the creeps and this filled the bill. I'm sick of the blood, gore, sex and foul language. SOmetimes its okay, but gets painfully boring after awhile. I want to be able to be spooked or creeped out; to be able to walk away looking over my shoulder or wondering "what if" and this film was the last film ever made that gave me this feeling. Not many films do, because it seems blood and filth is what horror is supposed to be about. Well I like good old spooky stories, too and this film has what it takes to give you a good case of the creeps. If you like blood, gore and sex, then you probably wont like this film. But if you want to spend the next two weeks walking on the paranoid side, check it out!

Give me a moment while I give director Paul Golding a standing ovation! 'Pulse' is such a well made movie, it almost doesn't look like an 80's film. If you were to tell me this was a 2020 release, I'd have believed you. Even the decor and hair styles don't look dated. And how on earth did they manage to shoot the film the way they did back in the 80s?

'Pulse' doesn't rely on blood, guts and gore to send chills down your spine. So let me tell you straight out, if its guts and gore you're looking for, you might be disappointed. 'Pulse' has a really great script. Things that might seem trivial in the beginning, plays a huge part later. The film has a well designed plan and incredibly well executed. To further enhance the viewing pleasure, the acting and visuals are also very good. The photography truly is astounding given this was made in 1988.

There's no annoying loud jump scares here; just genuine scares. The film's protagonist is David, played by 12-year old Joey Lawrence, who is fantastic. There's an amazing scene of him trapped in the garage - truly nerve wrecking! The film's climax is also fantastic!! I absolutely loved this!

'Pulse' was a pleasant surprise and now rates as one of my favorite 80s horror films.

Would I watch it again? Absolutely!