The Purge (2013)

[Plain Old Tele]

Discuss.

[ddddeeee]

Once you get past the stupid premise, and boy is it stupid, it's actually quite a bit of fun. I especially loved how they almost seemed to be setting up some sort of 'communities unite' message only to completely shit on it a minute later.

 

Lena Headey can shine in anything, what a talent. B-

[cookie]

I especially loved how they almost seemed to be setting up some sort of 'communities unite' message only to completely shit on it a minute later.

Explain pls (spoilers are fair game here right?).

Edited June 1, 2013 by C00k13

[ddddeeee]

There's a part were all the neighbours come in to save the family only for them (predictably) to try and kill the family themselves. Got a good chuckle from my crowd.

[Ozymandias]

Is gay marriage legal on purge night?

[tommycruise]

Is gay marriage legal on purge night?

Well technically if there were no laws for 12 hours, then no one would have the legal authority to perform a marriage. So no.

[ainsleyb]

The main problem with 'The Purge' is that in a film like this you need to have a degree of sympathy for the plight of the main characters. If you don't care if they live or die then the film needs to at least contain some inventive or scary sequences to satisfy the audience.

 

The basic plot of the movie is that on the night of 'The Purge' (where crimes including murder are allowed for 12 hours) the Sandon family lock up their house only for their son to let in a homeless man who is being chased. His attackers aren't too happy about this and give the family the option of handing over the man or they will be killed too. The waiting gang are a bunch of well to do young kids wearing smiling masks who have the equipment available to break through the homes security defences.

 

All of the family are annoying as hell. Ethan Hawke starts off being the hotshot dad who is a big security salesman in his town. His character then quickly changes into that of a ruthless man who will do anything to protect his family. He then changes again to deciding that protecting a homeless man who he does not know is the better idea because his family are whining about not wanting this stranger to die. Have I mentioned the homeless man puts a gun to the daughter's head at one point?

 

The daughter has an older boyfriend who Hawke's father has banned her from seeing. The boyfriend stays in the house during The Purge and all too predictably tries to kill the father just as things start to go down outside. He gets killed in a gunfight and whilst the family are panicked and searching for a homeless man who is running free in their house, she decides it's a good idea to run away from her mum and go it alone, because her boyfriend (who just tried to kill her Dad) is dead.

 

The mum played by Lena Heady, similar to Hawke's character frustratingly changes toward the end of the film and decides that handing over the homeless man to the gang outside isn't right, putting herself and her children in unnecessary danger. 

 

But worst of all is the son, a long haired, bushy eyebrowed little dweeb that makes weird looking cameras. He lets the homeless man in and despite the man then running free in his house, he guides the homeless man to a hiding spot to protect him from his father who is desperately searching for the guy in order to save his family. He complains non stop when his mum and dad find the homeless man and try to hand him over to the gang, thus convincing his parents to 'do the right thing'.

 

When the gang do eventually enter the house with about 15 minutes left in the movie there are a few standard kill/fight scenes, mainly involving one shot kills. The gore is pretty tame in all honesty and the sequences lack any real tension or originality. Disappointingly, there isn't a single 'jump' or scare scene to be found in the entire film. The creepy looking masks worn by the gang are shown too often and the only member of the gang that really speaks doesn't wear a mask at all. His performance is also over the top, making him less scary and more a caricature of someone like Patrick Bateman.

 

The ending when the neighbours come to the families rescue and then show their ulterior motive can be guessed within three minutes of the film starting, it's so unbelievably obvious that you are just waiting for it to happen. 

 

The film ends on a sort of 'violence is bad' message as the mother, despite the neighbours just trying to kill her, lets them go. How awkward is that going to be tomorrow?

 

 

What the film does well is specify that only Class 4 weapons and below could be used on the Purge, which makes more sense as I considered the extent to which violence would be allowed before watching the film (bombings? terrorism?). It also states that Rank 10 governmental employees could not be killed. The opening credit sequence showing cctv footage of Purge crimes is also pretty good, but it is a shame the rest of the film feels so confined when a story set out in the open where everyone on the street could harm you would have been more entertaining.

 

 

Overall, the film didn't bore me but it didn't excite me either. It's standard horror/thriller fare that probably isn't worth your money in theatres but might be worth a rent.

 

6/10

[Deep Wang]

This movie fails on almost every level a movie can. It's not scary or even kinda tense. It's stupid people doing stupid things over and over and over. Bad, bad.

[Deep Wang]

I can't wait to hear the reactions.

[Cmasterclay]

I actually quite enjoyed it. I think the entire conceit is fascinating, and though the allegories and message was obviously very, very "hit over the head," it still certainly works. The first half in general is alot better- interesting world building and ideas. The second half is just an action movie- Straw Dogs by way of the Strangers. It's still fun, but it never tries to be anything special, which it had potential to be. Acting was pretty good all around, and dialogue wasn't too clunky. It's really a very average thriller elevated by some great ideas.

 

B-

[The Creator]

It was...different, kind of. Like, I don't like it, but I do like it. It's really stupid...especially the whole idea of a day like that...but it's also somewhat fun, and even though I knew so-and-so would die, or this guy would save those people, or whatever, it was still fun to see it happened, and I loved "bitch-get-smacked-in-the-fucking-face" moment, but I wish the mom had chosen to like shoot-to-harm those dumbass neighbors of hers. You know...pop some knee caps or something. Or take all their money and possessions and make them be the poor people.

[RyneOh1040]

I wanted to like it, I really did.  The concept could have been a lot of fun (and a lot smarter).  Ethan Hawke's character was the only one that exhibited any ounce of sense.  I am all for character's with a moral compass and compassion but by the end of the film I really didn't care if anyone lived or died because of stupid choice after stupid choice.  The film never really builds any suspense even though the last 1/3 of it is shot in the dark.  

 

I didn't hate it, I just disliked it and think it was a HUGE missed opportunity.

 

4/10

Edited June 8, 2013 by RyneOh1040

[RobinHood26]

-

Edited April 17, 2018 by Jay Hollywood

[FilmBuff]

The Purge was really bad. It had an interesting premise up to a certain point, but I could never suspend my disbelief long enough to believe this Utopian Society would be fine with just 1 day of "purging." It was a well acted film from both Lena Headey and Ethan Hawke, but you need more than just actors bringing their A game to have a good movie. Fact is, we rarely see horror films completely turn the genre on its ears. You have movies like Cabin in the Woods(2012) which every once in a while add something new and fresh, but those are few and far between. The Purge turned into just another horror slasher film we've seen countless times before. I do not recommend seeing this film.

 

D-

[lilmac]

I feel like precious neurons were purged from my brain during the thankfully brief 90 minute film.  I knew that to enjoy this movie with its premise I would have to suspend belief and logic.  I had moderate success doing so but where this movie fails is in the inexplicable actions/motivations of its characters.  

 

* "These security systems weren't built for worst case scenarios."  Nuff said.

 

* After the homeless stranger enters the house, they ignore this fact after the boyfriend is shot.  Even to go so far as to say that he's gone (remember, barriers came back down so he was definitely still in the house).

 

* When Lena Headey's character heard her daughter outside the safe room and ran into her, why didn't she bring her back in the saferoom?  Instead they hold a conversation outside where its less safe

 

* Why did the daughter run off after that conversation?  Why not go into the safe house?

 

* Just how big was that house?  What significance did the new addition have other than to serve as a talking point between Lena's character and the neighbor.  I wish we had gotten more of a lay of the land beforehand

 

* Are you telling me that the villains wanted that one homeless man that much they would waste an entire Purge day to get him?  How did they find out where he was?

 

 

 

D+

 

Despite the low score, I will say that the movie sparked alot of conversation.  I am actually looking forward to the inevitable sequels to see if they improve on an interesting, if not unrealistic, premise.

[Impact]

Upon reading these comments-this sounds like what should be at the Razzies-not a big budget blockbuster they will honor.

[Deep Wang]

I feel like precious neurons were purged from my brain during the thankfully brief 90 minute film. I knew that to enjoy this movie with its premise I would have to suspend belief and logic. I had moderate success doing so but where this movie fails is in the inexplicable actions/motivations of its characters. * "These security systems weren't built for worst case scenarios." Nuff said.* After the homeless stranger enters the house, they ignore this fact after the boyfriend is shot. Even to go so far as to say that he's gone (remember, barriers came back down so he was definitely still in the house).* When Lena Headey's character heard her daughter outside the safe room and ran into her, why didn't she bring her back in the saferoom? Instead they hold a conversation outside where its less safe* Why did the daughter run off after that conversation? Why not go into the safe house?* Just how big was that house? What significance did the new addition have other than to serve as a talking point between Lena's character and the neighbor. I wish we had gotten more of a lay of the land beforehand* Are you telling me that the villains wanted that one homeless man that much they would waste an entire Purge day to get him? How did they find out where he was?D+Despite the low score, I will say that the movie sparked alot of conversation. I am actually looking forward to the inevitable sequels to see if they improve on an interesting, if not unrealistic, premise.

It wasn't even a safe house, it was just the room with the surveillance stuff. They didn't even lock or bar the door AND they didn't even have cameras in the house so what good does it do hiding in there when there's a guy INSIDE THE HOUSE?!I actually liked the idea that the security systems weren't impervious. It actually makes a great statement on consumerism.

[Maxmoser3]

Upon reading these comments-this sounds like what should be at the Razzies-not a big budget blockbuster they will honor.

blair witch films were nominated and actually won a few

[Michael Gary Scott]

Worst movie of the year. Dumb character doing idiotic things. Worse than sinister I can't believe that was possible. 1.5/5

[baumer]

I'm shocked that so many of you hated it.  I liked it and right up until the end, it would have gotten close to an A, but the end just leaves you with nothing.  But it was tense and very well directed in many scenes, especially effective was the scene right before the stabbing.  That whole scene was top notch. 

 

More later, but for now 7/10