Synopsis

After her computer-hacker boyfriend dies under mysterious circumstances, college student Mattie discovers that his machine has been infected by a strange wireless signal. As similar apparitions and suicides spread among her friends, Mattie and a small group of survivors investigate a supernatural force entering the world through phones, computers, and other connected devices. Their search becomes a desperate attempt to preserve both humanity and free will.

Factoids & Trivia

• Pulse is an American remake of the Japanese horror film Kairo (2001), written and directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.

• The remake was developed with Wes Craven attached during its early stages. Craven co-wrote an earlier version of the screenplay, but he was not involved in the finished production.

• Principal photography took place in Bucharest, Romania, between June and September 2005, despite the story being set in Ohio.

• The theatrical trailer included stock footage from the original Kairo, including a plane-crash sequence. That material was recreated for the American film.

• The film's premise reflects early-2000s anxieties about wireless technology, online isolation, and the increasing intrusion of digital communication into everyday life.

• Dimension Films initially handled the remake, while Magnolia Pictures later acquired North American distribution rights to the original Kairo, helping present the two films to American audiences as connected works.