Octane (Pulse) (2003)

17% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
28% of users liked it
(2,592 ratings)

Television commercial director and music video maker Marcus Adams directs the U.K. thriller Octane, shot entirely in Luxembourg. Madeleine Stowe stars as overprotective mother Senga Wilson, who doesn't want her teenage daughter Nat (Mischa Barton) to get into trouble. While driving down the road… More Television commercial director and music video maker Marcus Adams directs the U.K. thriller Octane, shot entirely in Luxembourg. Madeleine Stowe stars as overprotective mother Senga Wilson, who doesn't want her teenage daughter Nat (Mischa Barton) to get into trouble. While driving down the road with her mother one night, Nat jumps out of the car and escapes with a bunch of backpackers. It turns out the crowd she's running with is really an evil cult that's out for blood, led by a freaky guy they call The Father (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). In order to save her daughter, Senga embarks on a thrilling journey into a rave/dance underworld of violent twentysomethings while she copes with her own past. The techno soundtrack was provided by Orbital. Octane premiered in the U.S. at the 2003 CineVegas International Film Festival and was renamed Pulse for its eventual video release. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Marcus Adams
Genres: Art House & International, Horror

In Theaters: Jul 20, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Jul 20, 2004

Critic Reviews

Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
Once you scratch the surface, there's nothing underneath.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...the film's storyline is hopelessly convoluted and dull.
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
Starts as a pretty effective little thriller in the 'Road Trip turns deadly' vein -- and then takes a hard left turn into a field full of stupid.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

vieras e

Plot, what plot?
Doctor S

Octane or Pulse, those are TWO completely incongruous random titles they chose to stick on this one! Teenage girl is kidnapped/seduced by a cult with cultdom's flimsiest charter ever that was probably outlined on a napkin with the intention of filling in the rest later. Come to… More
Octane or Pulse, those are TWO completely incongruous random titles they chose to stick on this one! Teenage girl is kidnapped/seduced by a cult with cultdom's flimsiest charter ever that was probably outlined on a napkin with the intention of filling in the rest later. Come to think of it, that's probably how the screenplay was developed too. I watched this after seeing Madeleine Stowe in the credits, and after 45 minutes of waiting for her to show up I suddenly realized she was the mother of the teenager and onscreen most of the time, and I didn't even recognize her! She has aged very well and a peculiar haircut also threw me off. Without her terrific performance during the first hour (as the final 30 minutes consists solely of running, sneaking, and hiding) this is bargain basement 1-star fodder that doesn't deserve an actress of her quality. Yet she manages to infuse her character with intelligence, wit, and slight dementia to pull me into her predicament. Sadly the shoddy story and plodding camerawork don't contribute anything, and the needless dark, sickly green color scheme doesn't help either.

Cast

            Madeleine Stowe as Senga

            Norman Reedus as Recovery Man

            Bijou Phillips as Backpacker

            Mischa Barton as Nat

            Jonathan Rhys Meyers as The Father

            Samuel Fröler as Marek

            Nigel Whitmey as Detective Ned Stephens

            Sam Douglas as Crash Site Detective

            Jenny Jules as Highway Patrol sergeant

            Tom Hunsinger as CSI man

            Glenn Wrage as Highway Patrol cop

            Shauna Shim as paramedics

            Dean Gregory as Christian missionary

            Martin McDougall as motivational speaker

            Sarah Drews as Christine

            Patrick O'Kane as trucker

            Stephen Lord as carjacker

            Gary Parker as vacation man

            Amber Batty as vacation woman

            David Menkin as paramedic

            Raffaello Degruttola as Highway Patrol cop

            Monica Hudgins as Southern Woman

            Cesar Bayona Pinto as Latino busboy

            Veronique Koch as cashier

            A'se Dunbar as cashier

            Nicolette Christie as teenage girl

            Rachel Pollack as menu girl

            Emma Drews as teenage girl (video)

            Leo Gregory as Joyrider
See full cast