← Back to Reviews
in
Set in a dystopian near future, The Purge follows the annual titular event: a period of 12 hours where any type of crime is permitted as a way of controlling population and improving the economy. Right in the middle of it is James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) who makes a living selling security systems designed to withstand the event. But when he and his family are targeted by a ruthless gang of murderers, they have to find ways to make it through the night.
Despite mixed reviews, the film made a lot of money, which has resulted in multiple sequels and a TV series to come out. It is probably because of those initial mixed reviews that I had stayed away from it, but I had always been curious to jump in. I've read that most of the sequels are better than this one, but being the completist that I am, I wanted to start at the beginning, if I was to jump in.
The thing is that The Purge presents a compelling premise; a society that has essentially found a way to justify and condone crime by giving up to primal impulses, while creating social safeguards around it to pretend that they care. Unfortunately, that premise is then limited for the most part to a basic home invasion film. The novelty of what "the purge" is gets lost in a movie that's really not different from any other home invasion movie.
Hawke and Lena Headey do their best as the lead couple, but they really don't have a lot to do, while their two children range range from obnoxious to irrelevant. The only actor who stands out is Rhys Wakefield as the "polite leader" of the gang. Surrounded by mostly a horde of faceless thugs, his whole demeanor and delivery makes for an antagonist that's at least interesting and fun to watch.
Behind all the main premise, there seems to be an underlying message of not succumbing to these instincts and actually help others, but the whole argument feels muddled and without focus. There is also a twist in the very last act that I wish would've been executed better. If it had, it could've put the main theme back into focus; the realization that everything is a façade and that nothing is ever going to be okay again.
Grade:
THE PURGE
(2013, DeMonaco)
(2013, DeMonaco)
James: "We're gonna make it through tonight and everything's going to be okay."
Zoey: "Nothing is ever going to be okay again, dad."
Zoey: "Nothing is ever going to be okay again, dad."
Set in a dystopian near future, The Purge follows the annual titular event: a period of 12 hours where any type of crime is permitted as a way of controlling population and improving the economy. Right in the middle of it is James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) who makes a living selling security systems designed to withstand the event. But when he and his family are targeted by a ruthless gang of murderers, they have to find ways to make it through the night.
Despite mixed reviews, the film made a lot of money, which has resulted in multiple sequels and a TV series to come out. It is probably because of those initial mixed reviews that I had stayed away from it, but I had always been curious to jump in. I've read that most of the sequels are better than this one, but being the completist that I am, I wanted to start at the beginning, if I was to jump in.
The thing is that The Purge presents a compelling premise; a society that has essentially found a way to justify and condone crime by giving up to primal impulses, while creating social safeguards around it to pretend that they care. Unfortunately, that premise is then limited for the most part to a basic home invasion film. The novelty of what "the purge" is gets lost in a movie that's really not different from any other home invasion movie.
Hawke and Lena Headey do their best as the lead couple, but they really don't have a lot to do, while their two children range range from obnoxious to irrelevant. The only actor who stands out is Rhys Wakefield as the "polite leader" of the gang. Surrounded by mostly a horde of faceless thugs, his whole demeanor and delivery makes for an antagonist that's at least interesting and fun to watch.
Behind all the main premise, there seems to be an underlying message of not succumbing to these instincts and actually help others, but the whole argument feels muddled and without focus. There is also a twist in the very last act that I wish would've been executed better. If it had, it could've put the main theme back into focus; the realization that everything is a façade and that nothing is ever going to be okay again.
Grade: