Pulse 2: Afterlife

Pulse 2: Afterlife

Year: 2008

Runtime: 89 mins

Language: English

Director: Joel Soisson

DramaHorror

After a viral invasion of spirits through the wireless internet, the world lies in ruins: cities empty, technology smashed, and the few survivors shun all electronics to avoid the soulless ghosts that now roam the Earth. Most haunt repetitive loops of their final moments—like a man repeatedly hanging himself—while some remain unaware they are dead, still fearing the loss of their lingering souls.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Pulse 2: Afterlife (2008) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Pulse 2: Afterlife (2008), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

In a world grappling with a pandemic of mass suicides and mysterious deaths sparked by ghosts that spread through technology, Michelle, Georgina Rylance searches for her daughter, Justine Karley Scott Collins. Michelle’s ex-husband Stephen Jamie Bamber traces her path, uncovering evidence that she planned to harm her daughter and herself. While at home, Michelle sees Justine on the road returning to her apartment. Michelle rushes downstairs, but Stephen grabs his daughter and leaves in his truck. Michelle transforms into a ghost and angrily stares at them as they drive away.

Stephen takes Justine up to his cabin and asks about what happened. She explains that her mother has died, dissolving into ash while attempting to kill her. Stephen’s girlfriend Marta Boti Bliss arrives that night. She sits down and gives a litany of complaints, one of them being that she refuses to lock herself up inside a red taped room. Stephen starts going through the food and Marta gets worried that he might not keep her around. Marta, trying to get Stephen to think she’s useful to have around, tries to seduce him. She pulls him to a table, but the moment she sits on it, a laptop sitting on the table turns on. She complains because they’re not supposed to have that type of technology, but Stephen says it’s not even plugged in. Marta goes to hit the laptop with a golf club, but Stephen stops her. Suddenly they see continuous instant messages to Stephen from Michelle. When even more messages begin to come in, Marta shoves the laptop off the table and into a wall.

Stephen goes to speak with his daughter and she assures him that her mother is dead. While everyone is asleep, Stephen hears a beep indicating a new message and picks up the laptop. Despite the damage it is still working, so he sends an instant message to Michelle, causing her to appear at the cabin. Michelle kills Marta, but Stephen and Justine escape.

They are stopped by a man dressed in red, Todd Giebenhain, who commands Stephen at gunpoint to take him to a computer supply store and find a processor for him. With the processor, the man plans to find a solution for the world. Once Stephen completes this, the man gives him red tape and Stephen and Justine keep driving. They stop in the middle of a road, where Stephen covers the car in red tape. He and Justine fall asleep, but Stephen wakes up in the middle of the night to find the passenger-side door open and Justine missing. He manages to get Justine back before she touches her mother’s ghost and they race back to the car.

The next day, Stephen peeks through the tape and sees a bus that is going to a refugee camp where wireless computer signals cannot reach. He and Justine get out, and he tells her to run straight to the bus. As they are about to reach it, Michelle appears. Stephen convinces his daughter that she should get on the bus and sacrifices himself to Michelle, saying that if she did not want to be lonely, she should take him and not their daughter. She kisses him then backs off and disappears with a smile. Stephen is relieved and thanks her, but Marta’s ghost clings to him and takes his soul. Marta then backs off and Michelle is shown standing there, smiling.

Justine is safely in the bus with other refugees and escapees unscathed.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:42

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The narrative pattern involves a supernatural entity whose existence and motivations are directly linked to a past family trauma. The protagonist, often a surviving family member, must confront this ghost not just to survive, but to resolve the underlying emotional conflict—be it grief, guilt, or a broken promise. The story unfolds as a tense unraveling of both the supernatural mystery and the painful family history.

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Pulse 2: Afterlife

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