Distributor / studio: United International Pictures / Blumhouse Productions, Platinum Dunes
Rated: 18
Genre: Sci-fi thriller
Running Time: 85 minutes
Director & writer: James DeMonaco
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Rhys Wakefield, Max Burkholder, Adelaide Kane
Synopsis: If on one night every year, you could commit any crime without facing consequences, what would you do? In The Purge, a speculative thriller that follows one family over the course of a single night, four people will be tested to see how far they will go to protect themselves when the vicious outside world breaks into their home.
Verdict: A brilliant concept went to waste big time largely due to poor execution, convenient sequences, noticeable flaws, home invasion cliches, breakfast cereal commercial-scripting, frustratingly illogical character reactions, incompetent villains and straightforward acting. And instead of coming up with an original scenario, James DeMonaco chose to incorporate his great concept with the home invasion formula that's already been done tens of times (the last most memorable one to me is Panic Room). The Purge is literally too dumb to thrill. However, it does somehow manage to express its point of humanity versus law.
Second opinion: (none, watched it alone at home)
Malaysian censorship: This is yet another film that was released months ago so I didn't have to watch it at the cinema. There are upskirts and a few closeup violent scenes but they're not as bad as the other films that were released here completely uncut. However, with our local authorities, you'd never know.
Rating: 1.5 / 5
[SPOILER SECTION BEGINS HERE]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No rape?! I was indeed surprised. All crimes are legal but apparently all the participants want is to murder, not steal, rob or rape. Why they don't steal or rob is understandable 'cause it's said in the movie that unemployment is at 1%. But with little indication of rape, there's only one conclusion I can draw - the director wants to imply that in 2022, America will have so much sluts and broad variety of prostitutes that people wouldn't have the urge for it. Either that or murdering innocent family and kids are more honourable than rape.
Everything started because of this fuckin' kid...
High five if you laughed at this scene (the last image below):
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