Pulse (2010 TV Movie) User Reviews

Pilot with potential to make a great series

[john-wmartin · 8/10 · 4 June 2010]

I watched this as part of the BBC3 Pilot Episodes series, so I assume it is potentially going to be a series. An excellent horror/drama set in a hospital where strange things are going on and evidence of research malpractice. For the non-medical among you, wakening during surgery as shown here is extremely rare (I am a retired anaesthetist), although for some reason films and TV like to exaggerate. It is not made clear exactly what has been done to the patients, but hopefully that would be resolved with a series. Tension is maintained very well without resorting to extensive use of CGI. I just hope it doesn't become just another Zombie type program if made into a series. Claire Foy is excellent, and Emily Beecham (Stella) who is not credited in the cast list here also acquits herself well. Recommended viewing.

Good pilot which deserves a series

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 5 June 2010]

I don't watch much on BBC3 but when I heard a positive review on the radio I thought I'd give it a go, I'm glad I did as it was pretty good. Claire Foy does a fine job as trainee doctor Hannah Carter who returns to hospital after suffering some sort of breakdown previously. Something strange is going on in the hospital, a fellow doctor cut himself during an operation but instead of getting somebody else to treat it he is injecting himself with something which causes the wound to disappear almost immediately... only to come back later looking particularly nasty. Hannah first things something is wrong when a patient complains about the injections he has been given even though his chart makes no mention of an injections. When she feels his abdomen she thinks she feels something move inside him; is she imagining things or is something very wrong going on. When she asks questions she is told everything is routine or she is imagining things. The most memorable scene takes place when the patient in question goes into surgery; while under the knife Hannah notices he has awakened just as something else goes very wrong and blood squirts all over the theatre.

Being a pilot this episode doesn't answer all the questions, but based on what I saw I wouldn't be surprised if a full series is commissioned. It certainly worked for me as I was nervous when I was meant to be nervous, squirmed when I was meant to squirm and watched the operation scenes through my fingers as they were pretty gory. Whether this gets a full series or not I'm sure lead actress Claire Foy will be on our screens a lot as she was very good in he role.