Pulse

The possible harmful effects (beyond mugging) of mobile phone usage have been well documented and are still open to debate and research. The actual cell towers are even more controversial. Now with wi-fi becoming even more established there is yet another thing for people to worry about the potential negative effects. The air about us is absolutely zinging with all sorts of radio waves of varying lengths and frequencies; with no one really one hundred percent certain what effect they have on human physiology. If you subscribe to some of the conspiracy theories then the cell towers are used to transmit mind-control waves, which would make for interesting sci-fi stories in their own right. But what if there was something even more sinister happening with all those radio waves bouncing about?

PULSE is a new horror film from Dimension Films, directed by Jim Sonzero from a screenplay by horror master Wes Craven and Ray Wright. Like a lot of recent horror films it is based on a Japanese film, in this case KAIRO, written and directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. In this new US version, wireless networks are connecting to worlds beyond our own and bringing entities back into our world. It seems that no one with a wi-fi device is safe.

These ideas have also been explored in films like WHITE NOISE and TV shows like the excellent ODYSSEY 5, but PULSE is definitely aimed at an older teenage audience with stars Kristen Bell, Christina Milian and Ian Somerhalder (Boone from LOST) bound to appeal to all genders and persuasions. Switching your mobile off during the film will seem like a really good idea.

PULSE is on general release from September 8, Certificate 15.

I did not see a preview of this film so any comments from anyone who sees it will be welcome.

Watch the trailer and clips