Considering the state of the world nowadays, The Purge's main conceit of a perfect Utopian society brought about a yearly night of murder and barbarism is quite scary. Twenty two years into the future, America has been saved from economic and social ruin by the New Founding Fathers (who are never seen, but are probably the scariest aspect of this world. How messed up do you have to be to come up with The Purge?), and the creation of a new law, which grants the citizens of America one night a year where all laws are thrown out, allowing them to act out their deepest darkest desires. And The Purge works. Unemployment is at 1% and crime is at an all time low. As ideas go, The Purge has one that is extremely interesting and frighteningly unique. It's a shame that it is used as the jump off point for a standard siege tale, as the Sandin family (led by Ethan Hawke and Lena Heady) are beset by a homicidal 'Purge Party' after unwittingly taking in their intended victim.
The actual Purge is the most interesting aspect of this movie, offering a nice line in social commentary (since only the rich can afford weapons and the ability to defend themselves, is it a purge of our violent tendacies or a purge of the poor?), but that isn't saying The Purge is a bad movie. It just feels too small for it's main conceit. Maybe if it had a bigger budget, it could have been explored better, but as it is writer/director James DeMonaco has crafted a competent feature here. It starts off well enough, even though it's hammering home of how well off the Sandin's are horribly sign posts later plot points. It sets up multiple strands nicely, promising a nice human drama aspect to the usual siege shenanagins, but once the air horn sounds to announce the start of The Purge, these are quickly wrapped up to focus solely on the Sandin's fight for survival. A fight that actually doen't happen till the third act. Admittedly a lot of tension is built up from the constant taunts of the party's leader (the ever smiling Rhys Wakefield, billed only as Polite Stranger) as the Sandin's struggle to return the intended murder victim, loose in their labyrinthine house, it just moves at a snails pace and smacks of predictabilty. The actual siege does alot to liven proceedings, but veers off into an ending that is just a cop out, and outstays it's welcome by fiftheen minutes.
The cast are a credit to the movie, with Hawke and Heady putting the usual fine performances we have come to expect from them, with Hawke especially impressing, transforming from a bit of a douche to reluctant action hero as the movie goes. But the standout her is Rhys Wakefield. From the minute he takes of his smiling mask to reveal his true face, the same malevolent grin plastered across it, you know you're in for something special. He is a fantastic villain, soft spoken, completely indoctrinated by the teachings of The Purge, truly believing that it is his God given right to murder everybody he puts his mind to murdering. It is a fantastic role, one that Wakefield completely embodies.
Not quite living up to it's fantastic core concept, The Purge is still an enjoyable thriller, let down by a story that is too small for the idea it was born from.
The actual Purge is the most interesting aspect of this movie, offering a nice line in social commentary (since only the rich can afford weapons and the ability to defend themselves, is it a purge of our violent tendacies or a purge of the poor?), but that isn't saying The Purge is a bad movie. It just feels too small for it's main conceit. Maybe if it had a bigger budget, it could have been explored better, but as it is writer/director James DeMonaco has crafted a competent feature here. It starts off well enough, even though it's hammering home of how well off the Sandin's are horribly sign posts later plot points. It sets up multiple strands nicely, promising a nice human drama aspect to the usual siege shenanagins, but once the air horn sounds to announce the start of The Purge, these are quickly wrapped up to focus solely on the Sandin's fight for survival. A fight that actually doen't happen till the third act. Admittedly a lot of tension is built up from the constant taunts of the party's leader (the ever smiling Rhys Wakefield, billed only as Polite Stranger) as the Sandin's struggle to return the intended murder victim, loose in their labyrinthine house, it just moves at a snails pace and smacks of predictabilty. The actual siege does alot to liven proceedings, but veers off into an ending that is just a cop out, and outstays it's welcome by fiftheen minutes.
The cast are a credit to the movie, with Hawke and Heady putting the usual fine performances we have come to expect from them, with Hawke especially impressing, transforming from a bit of a douche to reluctant action hero as the movie goes. But the standout her is Rhys Wakefield. From the minute he takes of his smiling mask to reveal his true face, the same malevolent grin plastered across it, you know you're in for something special. He is a fantastic villain, soft spoken, completely indoctrinated by the teachings of The Purge, truly believing that it is his God given right to murder everybody he puts his mind to murdering. It is a fantastic role, one that Wakefield completely embodies.
Not quite living up to it's fantastic core concept, The Purge is still an enjoyable thriller, let down by a story that is too small for the idea it was born from.
