Pulse 2 Afterlife

Product Description Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Gallactica) stars in this terrifying sequel that picks up where the original Pulse left off. The dead have found a way back to our world - through cell phones and WiFi - and the human survivors have taken to remote areas to escape. When a young girl goes missing, her father must return to the city to battle her mother's vengeful ghost, along with a host of other horrifying ghouls. Intense, suspenseful, and terrifying, Pulse 2 will frighten you straight through to its shocking ending. Amazon.com The presence of Battlestar Galactica's Jamie Bamber is the main selling point of Pulse 2: Afterlife, a direct-to-DVD sequel to 2006's Pulse, which was itself a remake of the popular Japanese horror film Kairo. Set in a macabre future world where the ghosts of the first film--which wreak havoc on the living via phone lines and computer connections--have now taken control of whole cities, Bamber stars as a father in search of his missing daughter, who may have disappeared into one of the spirit-plagued metropolises. With such an intriguing premise, it's a disappointment to watch it unfold so ploddingly in the hands of Joel Soisson, a director/producer who's made a name for himself by releasing unwarranted sequels to horror movies ( White Noise 2, Mimic 2, Dracula 3: Ascension). The effort is further muddied by some atrocious green screen effects that betray their artifice immediately upon viewing. Ultimately, Pulse 2 is an unnecessary sequel that neither improves upon its predecessor nor inspires interest in a follow-up--which is already in the works, as indicated in the supplemental features. Soisson and his production team are featured on a lively if inconsequential commentary track; a pair of deleted scenes highlight the pervasive nature of the film's green-screen effects. --Paul Gaita