The Purge

Reviews from the Dark Side presents
  The Purge
Released 6/7/13, now in theaters

Ethan Hawke returns to horror in this week's latest ode to home invasion, The Purge.  Written and directed by James DeMonaco, The Purge takes place in a very different America in the not too distant future.  Summer horror is not the norm among the season's mega blockbusters.  Will this be a hidden gem among the giants, or is it a gross miscalculation destined to be buried in obscurity?

The year is 2022.  The place?  America.  The country is experiencing its greatest prosperity in history.  Unemployment is down to one percent.  Crime is at an all-time low.  It's all credited to an idea executed by the "New Founding Fathers" of the U.S. called The Purge.  The Purge is an annual 12 hour period in March where all manners of violent crime are accepted without fear of prosecution.  This cleansing of the American people takes place nationwide from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.  During this period, no aid is given by police, firefighters, paramedics, or hospital personnel.  There are only two rules during the Purge.  "Level 10" government officials must remain unharmed and use of "Level 4" weaponry is forbidden.  Otherwise, Americans can unleash their full fury and aggression against anyone they wish before returning to being "good citizens" for the remainder of the year.

James Sandin (Hawke) is a wealthy security system developer.  He has equipped many of the homes in his gated community with his company's state-of-the-art security systems, including his own, in preparation for the annual event.  He lives with his wife and two children.  His home life is not idyllic (as much as he would like it to be so). His teenage daughter is dating an older boy who he has no use for.  His gadget-clever pre-teen son questions the need for the Purge (this plays a part later). 

On the night this year's Purge, as he arms the house's security system and prepares to watch the night's news coverage of the event with his family, trouble is brewing on the inside.  His daughter's boyfriend, Henry, snuck into the house before the system was armed wanting to convince James that he truly loves his daughter.  Unknown to his daughter, Henry plans to exercise his right as an American by taking part in the Purge.  Translation; He's there to kill James. 

Trouble is brewing on a second front.  James' son notices a stranger running for his life from...something.  Taking pity on the man, he disarms the house's security system long enough to invite the wounded stranger inside.  As the family soon discovers, the stranger, a military veteran, is on the run from a group of sadistic, privileged college students who are taking full advantage of the Purge by ridding the streets of the "homeless trash."  The leader offers an ultimatum to the Sandins.  Return the victim to them or they will be forced to break into the house and kill all inside.  James has a dilemma.  Does he take the easy road and send the stranger outside to his certain doom, protecting his family but losing the respect of his children?  Or, does he take the difficult road and prepare to defend his home from the siege to come?  The night is long and there are no easy answers.  And the source of danger may not be as obvious as it seems.

After watching The Purge, ethical dilemmas abound.  Would you lend help to a total stranger in need if it placed your family in extreme danger?  Would you commit a violent crime if there were no chance of conviction?  Would you take bloody revenge on one who has wronged you if given the opportunity?  For some questions there may not be a true right or wrong answer.  Others are more obvious.  Or, are they?  We can all say how we would act in these situations, but do we truly know when life or death is on the line?  That is the true power of this movie as it forces us to look deep within ourselves.  The fact that most characters in the movie simply accept this annual ritual as something good and somewhat like a sporting event (oh, yes.  there are Purge parties) is a testament as to how callous humans can be toward each other.

The last quarter of the film is more of your standard horror movie with some decent jump-scares.  It creates a cold creepiness which is an appropriate atmosphere for this night of high anxiety.  Death lurks around every corner.  And, you don't know who to trust. 

One thing that struck me as odd was how easily the Sandins' security system was defeated.  Of course, I know it had to be defeated as a plot device, but I would think if you know there will be an annual night of chaos, you would take every precaution possible to stay safe.  Yes, the Sandins do have a small arsenal inside the house, but if it were me, I think I would have a moat with crocodiles, barbed wire fences, and gun turrets on the roof.  Even then, I would still have a vicious German Shepard at my side.  Yet, in the Sandins' serene gated community, all the residents seem to think armor plating at the doors and windows are enough.  And until this fateful night, they were.  Maybe this is merely hindsight on my part, but when my life or the life of my family could be on the line, I would build of fortress, especially if I had the financial means to do so.  Maybe you just don't think much about it until the craziness lands at your doorstep.

The Purge isn't typical slasher horror.  The threat isn't supernatural in nature.  There's not an unstoppable psycho killer who simply won't die.  What makes The Purge disturbing is the fact that average people have the capacity to kill each other with extreme prejudice.  Or, kill simply for the fact that they can.  The danger could come from your best friend, your neighbor, or a complete stranger.  The Purge may make you a little paranoid.  But, it also makes you think.

The Dark Lord of the Sith says:

**** stars



Ratings Legend
Zero *= Don't waste your time. Pure dreck! Dreck is too good for this! Blind me please!
1 *= Fuggedaboutit!
2 *= Average, Mediocre, Nothing Special
3 *= Good viewing. Much better than a poke in the eye.
4 *= Great. Could possibly foot the price of a non-Matinee.
5 *= Pure eye candy. Hall of Fame material here.