OK, suppose it was legal to kill folks … would you? Is there pent-up rage so firmly embedded in your personality that you actually want to kill? Is violence a natural part of the human condition? I object to the premise. I don’t believe humans are naturally good, but I do believe they are naturally selfish. Does that make ’em killers? I’m inclined to side with detectives here. The only motivations for murder are greed, love, or revenge. I don’t buy that people kill just because the calendar changes.
The year is 2022. The United States has a booming economy and 1% unemployment. Why? The Purge, where one night a year, March 22, as it turns out – now wait a minute. Wouldn’t it make more sense for this to be the last night of winter rather than the first or second night of spring? Doesn’t that resonate with a tad greater symbolism? No? – anyway, one night a year, all category 4 and below crime is legal (I have no idea what “category 4” is … Sports & Leisure, maybe?). Anyway — murder, theft, mopery, illegal parking, all good. Actually, all anybody talks about is the violent part, so maybe theft isn’t allowed. Not sure. What we do know is on this day, your friendly neighbors either bar up their castles or whet their machetes; when they say “killing time” on this night, it’s not just about counting hours.
James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) sells security systems. He makes a fortune from The Purge. There was an excellent missed opportunity to tie to Dick Cheney–Halliburton war profiteering from the Bush decisions. But The Purge is replete with missed opportunities. The Sandins live in a gated community, but no community is safe on this night. They wait until the appointed hour and then go into lockdown. This struck me as wrong, too. If you lived in a circumstance where a 12-hour window left all crime legal, the biggest controversies would be over exactly when that window took effect. And would you want to be a cop patrolling up to 5-til? Oh, Hell no. Frankly, I think anything goes as of two hours before “the purge” actually begins.
The plot, basically, is The Purge has become a tool for wealthy people to hunt vagrants. Really. In this world, the top 10% are the ones with the greatest amounts of self-righteous killin’ anger. You don’t think this day would be about, say, the lowest 10% getting some revenge? I feel like all the elements are present for some excellent social commentary, but the execution is piss poor. Son Charlie (Max Burkholder) asks if mom & dad are going to participate in the purge. “We don’t feel the need,” says dad. That’s what you’re going with, is it? Nothing about “it’s wrong” or “there’s a big difference between what is legal and what is moral?” No, we’re just gonna go with, “oh sure, son, we’d be out killin’ like ever’body else, ‘cept we had a really good year. Rest assured, we’re just as morally bankrupt as the neighbors.” That might be even more cynical than the premise.
The best looking homeless man ever (Edwin Hodge) takes refuge thanks to junior and the world’s creepiest prep-school snot (Rhys Wakefield) comes callin’ to collect his would-be prize, outer armor or no. And then I’m supposed to root for either the Executor of Exeter or Daddy Don’t Care. Thanks, movie.
The Purge is about one good idea away from being a great film. The problem is, that’s a fairly common shortcoming. Of action/adventure films out right now, I could say the same of Epic, Hangover Part III and Oblivion. (After Earth might take a little more than just one good idea.) As is, you took a great premise and mishandled it in almost the worst way possible.
A future of violent will
This night holds nothing but thrill
Family meal
Amity real
Alarm rings; hey, time to kill!
Rated R, 85 Minutes
D: James DeMonaco
W: James DeMonaco
Genre: Our dystopian future, yay!
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: People actually rooting for a purge
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Dystopia without message? C’mon.
