Dorathen Better Late Then Never

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Allissa .Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

MARIO GAUCI If there can be such a thing as overhyping the badness (read unintentional hilarity) quotient of a film, then the reviews I've come across of this one on the Internet are guilty of doing just that; it's not that I didn't find William Shatner's inflating hairline, outrageous clothes sense and, especially, his uncontrolled facial expressions comical…but I wasn't exactly laughing out loud either – let alone rolling about on the floor stamping my fist in hysterics! I'm not saying I was really expecting that kind of a response but, at any rate, I was let down by the film even in this department so that little remains for me but to bemoan the loss of 90 minutes from my life and try to forget this viewing ever happened! Sure, Shatner is hardly the ne plus ultra in psychopathically menacing and irresistibly handsome characters: seeing him threaten an obese woman for no reason at a park (while dressed in an unflatteringly sleeveless shirt), break out in tears after committing his first murder (as an adult), decked out in a completely white get-up with an over-sized fedora hat to match, slip his little finger into his mouth every time he recalls his childhood trauma (shown in black-and-white during the prologue) and boyishly jump up and down (as if his bladder's about to burst) in anticipation of being shown the safe is, admittedly, a source of amusement…but that hardly excuses the dullness of the rest of the picture.The chase in a car wash between Shatner and ex-partner Harold "Oddjob" Sakata (here playing Karate Pete!) was a nice try but even that sequence is clumsily executed and needlessly protracted. The worst part of it is that the three female leads – Ruth Roman, Jennifer Bishop and Kim Nicholas – claim a good share of the film's running time when they are merely boring caricatures; unfortunately, the director even contrives to waste the opportunity of the only two promising female encounters Shatner has in the movie – the sultry belly-dancer at the start and the flirtatious hotel receptionist!

manchester_england2004 IMPULSE is a forgotten masterpiece that William Shatner made during a low point of his career in the 1970s when he was either restricted to trashy B-movies or television guest appearances.I am amazed at the amount of negativity displayed by other reviewers towards this film. It is obvious that they are comparing Shatner's role in this film to his typecast role as Captain James T. Kirk rather than judging both the film and Shatner's performance in their own rights.Shatner puts in perhaps the best performance of his career (outside of his role as Captain Kirk of course) as a psychotic killer tormented by memories of his childhood when he killed a soldier with a samurai sword after the soldier attacked and attempted to rape his mother. Shatner transforms from being a seemingly charming harmless middle-aged man to a psychotic killer in a scene and then back to being charming again in the next scene. Over the years, many have criticised Shatner's acting as being ham and over-the-top just to name a few negative words. But, his performance here is simply tremendous. I can't think of an actor who could have played the part of Matt Stone better than him. The constant sucking of one of his fingers at various points in the film is just one of the ways that Shatner demonstrates Stone's unbalanced mind.The film creates genuine suspense through the use of flashbacks and atmosphere, as well as the incredible tension that seems to persist in many scenes. In one scene, tension arises when Stone has problems trying to kill one of his victims (who happens to be played by Harold Sakata, best known as Oddjob in Goldfinger). And at the same time, the disapproving daughter (whose name is Tina) of one of Stone's love conquests is witnessing this murder taking place from the back of Stone's car! One of the other very tense scenes of the film is where Stone is chasing Tina through a cemetery after she witnesses him committing another murder later on in the film. Tension is also created throughout various other scenes in the film, particularly after the scene where Tina witnesses Stone kill the character played by Harold Sakata. Tina is faced with a situation where no one will believe her when she tells them about the murder. The tension arises from various attempts by Tina to expose Stone, particularly the scene in the car where she complains of being cold and asks Stone to close the car window (only to find that the window that was meant to be broken has surprisingly been repaired).The film offers many opportunities for character development, in particular the character of Tina, a young girl who misses her deceased father and fears that Stone is trying to take his place in the eyes of her mother, Ann.The variety of 1970s polyester costumes worn by Shatner seem to be one aspect that makes the film catch attention, in particular the assorted multi-coloured shirts with large collars.Admittedly, the film does have some cheesy scenes and dialogue, but this has the effect of making the more disturbing scenes even more disturbing than they already are.The ending is so predictable that one can predict it even half way through, but this doesn't make it any less disturbing to watch. I won't give the ending away but I think those reading this review who have never seen the film will get an idea of what I mean.For other fans of William Shatner who would like to see him in a good film outside of his Captain Kirk role, I also recommend THE INTRUDER, a masterpiece directed by Roger Corman that Shatner made in his pre-Kirk days.This forgotten masterpiece certainly deserves more recognition. The UK DVD is a standard release that has no extras, not even a trailer. A special edition DVD with a documentary with or commentary by Shatner certainly would be great.I rate this film 10 out of 10 for excellent acting, photography, plot, suspense and tension.

lazarillo William Shatner is most famous for his television work (and his ill-advised singing career), but he has actually done his best work in movies. In his pre-"Star Trek" days he starred as a klansman/provocateur in "Intruder", one of Roger Corman's most interesting films (and the only one to lose money). He was also in "Incubus", the first (and last) film done entirely in the "international" language of Esperanto. In "The Devil's Rain" he faced off against a cult of obsessed weirdos (and, no, it wasn't set at a Star Trek convention). Then there is this film, perhaps, his masterpiece where he plays a psycho in a polyester leisure suit who marries vulnerable women and knocks them off--kind of a 70's version of "The Stepfather".Naturally, the only person who suspects him is the young daughter of his latest would-be victim, thus the misleading alternate title "Do You Want a Ride, Little Girl?" "Impulse" is not a great title either since it's one shared by about ten other movies. If this movie had a decent title, it probably would have been more successful and it would probably be released on DVD today, because it is really a hoot. Is it a great movie? No, but neither is "Star Trek" and at least no one takes it seriously. You don't see thousands of people dressing up in leisure suits and gold chains and attending conventions devoted to it. Nor has anyone made "Impulse--the Next Generation" or half a dozen other sequels and spin-offs. The movie also perfectly fits Shatner's overly dramatic acting style. It really is the part he was born to play. I wouldn't recommend it to your more serious "Star Trek" fans who don't really grasp the sublime campiness of Shatner, but for everybody else...

jcge86 I'll never forget the first time I saw Impulse....I had picked it up at the local video store and rented it sight-unseen. After all, with William Shatner starring in a 1974 "b" horror film, how could I go wrong?From the opening graphics of the movie title ripping apart to reveal a close up of Shatner's face, the expression alone on his face was priceless...but joyfully, that is just the beginning of this masterpiece!!!The film is a gem, with Shatner giving 110% throughout, and also Ruth Roman ("Mama" in The Baby, 1974). The clothes, the acting, the slow-paced car chase through an automatic car wash....this movie is worth seeing over and over again!!!