The film was Jim Sonzero's first big screen effort, working from a screenplay from horror master Wes Craven and Ray Wright based on the original film from Kiyoshi Kurosawa. They did a nice job of creating the amosphere and some creepy scenes in conjunction with DP, Mark Plummer, who gives the film a washed-out look that helps the creepy sadness that is pervasive throughout. I get the distinct feeling that there is a better film sitting on the cutting room floor, as this was a victim of post-production tinkering, and for that I wonder what the film would have looked like without studio interference. It was originally slated for release this past March, but got delayed, and it had been originally rated R. Another fact that will join the pantheon's of horror What If's, what if Wes Craven had directed as had originally been slated?
Bottomline. I liked this film, flaws and all. Kristen Bell is fine emotional anchor, and there is some genuine creepiness. The way the story expands from the localized phenomenon to the coming of a new world order is interesting. It is a thematically interesting movie that doesn't fully payoff on what it wants to say, but is frightening in implication. Now I have to dig out my DVD of the original Kairo (translated as Pulse).
Recommended.
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Article comments
1 - Iloz Zoc
Superb review. You hit the nail on the head about the characterizations that float in and out. Less would have tightened up the storyline. I did find the washouts used, with green, blue and flourescent white to be really annoying after awile. I was looking for a thematic reason to using the particular color, but it seemed to get mixed up half-way through, which may have been due to the meddling during post-production.
I am puzzled that this film didn't go to R. More flexibility with the R would have allowed more exposition, which might have explained a little bit more and pumped up the atmosphere.
The bit with the washing machine was pretty goofy. Visually okay, but...why come out of a washing machine?
There's quite a Lovecraftianesque feeling to the storyline. My gut feeling is that the J-horror original has more atmosphere. I've got to dig it out too.
2 - Steve C.
I thought this film was something of a misfire, personally. The telegraphed shock scenes disrupted the atmosphere Sonzero was trying to build, all attempts at explanation were weak and stripping out the thematics of Kurosawa's original just reveals how stupid the story actually is. It's better than it could have been, though -- the mere idea of Craven helming this causes me to blanche.
3 - adam
This film was dissapointing,
the storyline relied on the viewer dying to know what the cause/reason for the ghost/virus or even what they were, when the film finished with just a verbal warning towards the unknown dangers of wifi, frequencies ect, i felt very let down.