If there was one evening every year where you could commit any crime you wanted to, and face no consequences, what would you do? That’s the hypothetical question posed in James DeMonaco’s The Purge, where our protagonists decide to do, well, nothing at all. However it wouldn’t be a film if trouble didn’t find them now, would it?
We enter in to the not too distant future, in a flourishing America, where crime rates are at an all time low and the economy is booming. The reason for such a change in fortunes is the introduction of ‘The Purge’ where citizens are allowed to commit any crimes – including murder – across 12 hours one night every year, as people release all of their pent up frustrations over the course of one evening, rather than across the entire year. Ethan Hawke plays James Sandin, a business man specialising in home security who, alongside his wife Mary (Lena Headey) and two young children, decide to stay at home and avoid running in to any trouble. However when local lunatic (Rhys Wakefield) turns up on their doorstep to confront this seemingly harmless family, it appears that their quiet night in isn’t going to go exactly as planned.
The Purge offers a great, thought-provoking concept, that carries various political undercurrents. However when you propose a notion of this kind, there will inevitably be flaws to be found, as filmmakers taking on such grand, challenging ideas often find that problems arise when the story tries to develop and reach a conclusion, and this, sadly, is no different. The viewer simply can’t help but question certain aspects; why would so many ordinary people who aren’t criminals suddenly want to kill other people on this night? And would real criminals really obey the law for the other 364 days of the year? However, DeMonaco turns in a more than noble effort, especially considering the somewhat meagre budget available to him.
The political aspects are fascinating nonetheless, enhancing the provocative nature of the narrative. We delve into some hard-hitting socio-political themes, as the more affluent members of society use this night to target the poor, and how this middle class family have to weigh up their own safety against the well-being of a working class man, and whether they would be willing to sacrifice an innocent man’s life for their own, as James intriguingly attempts to deal with the situation.
The Purge is being billed as a horror movie, yet you can’t help but feel that such a label devalues it somewhat, as this is far more of a psychological thriller. This isn’t to say that the antagonists of the piece aren’t intimidating and scary, as Wakefield – like a sinister and deranged version of Matt Smith – leads a cast of menacing and formidable villains, who wear really freaky masks. The terror they impose is as a result of the inherent realism of the piece however, as they are all merely humans; there is no supernaturalism on show, and as such it’s easier to relate to than a standard horror movie. Ethan Hawke is also impressive as our lead, once again proving that there is no actor in world cinema quite so talented at wondering around dark corridors holding a torch. He just has this bewildered look smacked across his face at all times.
The performances across the board are all perfectly decent, but seriously, Max Burkholder – playing the Sandin’s youngest son Charlie – just needs to get his hair cut. We’re supposed to be rooting for the survival of this family, but it seriously isn’t helping their cause. That aside, The Purge is an enjoyable thriller that, although cliched in parts, maintains a streak of unpredictability, while a couple of brave moves on the part of DeMonaco ensure that the viewer stays compelled throughout.
[Rating:3.5/5]
