The mass killing of 49 people at the Orlando, FL, nightclub Pulse on June 12, 2016, is the subject of this grueling documentary, which recounts the moment-by-moment, hour-by-hour events as recalled by survivors of the long siege. Beginning a short while before the killer (who goes unnamed here) entered Pulse with an assault weapon and began firing, witnesses describe dancing and generally having a good time. So frenzied was the dance scene, says one interviewee, that when he heard the initial burst of multiple shots, he assumed it was an effect that the DJ had worked into the music. As bodies fell and people began pushing their way to the restrooms, gunshot victims who were still breathing bled out and in many cases were comforted by others in hiding. Interviewees describe what it was like waiting for hours to be rescued, and first responders talk about their actions and decisions in the thick of the mayhem. Some survivors criticize authorities for being too slow to move in on Pulse, but audio of a police negotiator listening to the murderer describe explosives on his person makes the delays understandable. Director Charlie Minn incorporates dramatic re-enactments with actors playing the parts of clubgoers, providing a visceral vision of this night of true hell. A timely documentary during the ongoing gun control debate, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
49 Pulses
(2018) 83 min. DVD: $24.99 ($199 w/PPR). Dreamscape Media. PPR. Closed captioned. Volume 33, Issue 3
49 Pulses
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