Pulse

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Pulse

PG-13

2006

1h 25m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

11%

Tomatometer

72 Reviews

27%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

After her boyfriend commits suicide, a psychology student (Kristen Bell) and her friends begin receiving unsettling e-mails and video messages. After a number of disappearances across campus, she teams up with a computer hacker (Ian Somerhalder) to shut down the deadly force before it spreads to the rest of the world.

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Critics Consensus

Another stale American remake of a successful Japanese horror film, Pulse bypasses the emotional substance of the original and overcompensates with pumped-up visuals and every known horror cliche.

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Brian Tallerico

UGO

03/24/2007

The unanswered questions in the original added to the mood, but by trying to answer even just a few of them, this Pulse just gets more confusing and less scary.

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Nigel Floyd

Time Out

09/23/2006

As the ghosts suck the life out of their victims, the audience suffers the same fate.

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Jamie Russell

BBC.com

09/05/2006

2/5

A remake that ain't an upgrade.

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Stefan Birgir Stefans

sbs.is

04/18/2021

1.5/5

Pulse is an ugly mess that makes little to no sense. I am sure I thought it looked quite cool in the naive 00s, but it's hypercontrasted-desaturated-blue/green-hued look has aged like milk in the sun.

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Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

04/11/2014

The potential it has to be an adult thriller is ruined because it's just more teen marketed crap.

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Dave White

Movies.com

04/04/2011

2/5

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The W

@TheWagners Jul 4

Another stale remake of a Japanese classic. Boring story bland jump scares and characters you could care less for. Not good please skip.

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Calvin T

@Calvin504 Aug 14

I should've checked here before I wasted my time

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Donald M

@smokeking 07/01/2025

its a must see movie

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Ian H

@Howellsey 01/21/2025

Middle of the road but could have done more with the concept and effects. Passable

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Farah R

@Farah 11/23/2024

Another failed attempt at remaking a successful Japanese horror movie as per the 2000s trend. Pulse is a mess in every possible sense, whether it’s the story, characters, or entire concept. The virus's origin is left unanswered which makes the whole thing feel like a complete waste of time.

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Casey G

@RT99611075 09/20/2024

I don't really understand the hate for this movie. Thought it was entertaining in 2006 and on rewatching it I still do now. Is it a 5? No. But I have seen much, much worse movies than this that somehow have similar review scores. A lot of reviewers complain about the grey/dreary/unhappy nature of the visuals and dialogue - but for real, it's a movie about a supernatural suicide epidemic. What were people expecting, fun? The movie is also slow but I don't agree that it's plotless. I dunno! I liked it. It feels like a lot of people went in expecting it to be something else.

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Jim Sonzero

Director

Kristen Bell

Mattie

Ian Somerhalder

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Synopsis

After her boyfriend commits suicide, a psychology student (Kristen Bell) and her friends begin receiving unsettling e-mails and video messages. After a number of disappearances across campus, she teams up with a computer hacker (Ian Somerhalder) to shut down the deadly force before it spreads to the rest of the world.

Director: Jim Sonzero
Producer: Michael Leahy, Joel Soisson, Anant Singh, Brian Cox
Screenwriter: Wes Craven, Tim Day, Vince Gilligan, Ray Wright
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Weinstein Company, Dimension Films, Neo Art & Logic, Distant Horizon
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sci-Fi Terror|Disturbing Images|Language|Sensuality|Thematic Material)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 11, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 2, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.3M
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS