The Purge (2013)
Average Rating: 5.1/10
Reviews Counted: 130
Fresh: 49 | Rotten: 81
Half social allegory, half home-invasion thriller, The Purge attempts to use thriller formula to make an intelligent point -- but ultimately only ends up sinking in numbing violence and tired clichés.
Average Rating: 4.5/10
Critic Reviews: 31
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 25
Half social allegory, half home-invasion thriller, The Purge attempts to use thriller formula to make an intelligent point -- but ultimately only ends up sinking in numbing violence and tired clichés.
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Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 68,933
Movie Info
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. In an America wracked by crime and overcrowded prisons, the government has sanctioned an annual 12-hour period in which any and all criminal activity-including
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Cast
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Ethan Hawke
James Sandin -
Lena Headey
Mary Sandin -
Adelaide Kane
Zoey Sandin -
Max Burkholder
Charlie Sandin -
Edwin Hodge
Bloody Stranger -
Rhys Wakefield
Polite Leader -
Tony Oller
Henry -
Arija Bareikis
Mrs. Grace Ferrin -
Tom Yi
Mr. Cali -
Chris Mulkey
Mr. Halverson -
Tisha French
Mrs. Halverson -
Dana Bunch
Mr. Ferrin -
Peter Gvozdas
Dr. Peter Buynak -
John Weselcouch
Freak Interrupting -
Alicia Vela-Bailey
Female Freak
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The Purge Trailer & Photos
All Critics (130) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (49) | Rotten (81)
DeMonaco clearly hopes to make a significant moral statement on the level of Shirley Jackson's literary masterpiece The Lottery. Alas, his aim at political conservatives who support the gun lobby falls flat before he can pull the trigger.
Top CriticIf The Purge is as far-sighted as Network proved to be, we are in for very ugly times.
That old horror-movie standard, a homestead besieged by psychos, gets remixed with a bit of Occupy-era class-conflict satire in the disappointing future-set thriller The Purge.
Gimmicky chiller lacks the robustness and distinction needed to support its social-commentary ambitions.
The blunt instrument plot allows for a few sneaky moments of satire and social commentary lite.
When critics bemoan the dumbing down of movies, they're talking about stuff like The Purge.
What should be a taut thriller stretches into an overextended slog with periodic scolding lectures.
A workable blueprint for a movie that falls apart in its shoddy construction. Hammers home its concept, then smashes down the doors of horror-movie clichés. Its beaten-to-a-pulp idea leaves the 'hood and sublets to some weakly shot home-invasion B-horror.
You won't believe that any part of it is even remotely plausible, but you'll go along with it enough to get a few thrills.
It's a rather ludicrous premise that's employed to persistently underwhelming effect by writer/director James DeMonaco...
Honestly, this is not a high-quality movie. The script has gaping plot holes, and you need to suspend your disbelief. But it does encourage people to talk about violence. While 'The Purge' may not be entertainment, I can say it's thought-provoking.
...quickly forgets its fake concern because there's too much awesome stalking, stabbing and shrieking demanding camera time, too many luxury objects that cry out to be righteously smashed by bad guy skulls.
Contrary to the home-invasion emphasis of its trailer, it never loses touch with its ingenious premise.
...a big, dumb home invasion horror movie.
DeMonaco makes his point, but it's one that only resonates in the improbable scenario he's concocted.
The premise is intriguing but the movie is pretty disgusting. If it really had something to say about violence in our society okay, but it's just there for entertainment so beware.
Writer-director James DeMonaco's The Purge fritters away its promise in lurid, frenzied violence.
The execution is lackluster in this subversive examination of contemporary suburban violence, which gradually drains the credibility from its intriguing if cynical futuristic idea.
Have you seen worse? Sure. I suppose you could call this efficient, but that stops short of being a recommendation.
Lacks the Strength of its Flimsy Convictions
It really oughtn't be quite this easy to screw up something as bog-standard as a home invasion thriller quite this thoroughly.
"The Purge" plays like a weak "Twilight Zone" episode whose message gets horribly muddled by its over-the-top violence.
doesn't spend enough time with the characters to give us much insight beyond the bare necessities, so their eventual devolution into primordial self-protection feels more like genre machinations than psychological intrigue
True to its title, "The Purge" is an unpleasant experience with no one to care about or root for. What you expect to happen happens. Like most home-invasion thrillers, it's more nauseating than frightening.
Audience Reviews for The Purge
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
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- Mary Sandin: Get the fuck out of my house.
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- James Sandin: We're gonna make it through tonight, and everything is gonna be okay.
- Zoey Sandin: Nothing is ever going to be okay again.
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- Polite Leader: Just let us Purge.
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- Zoey Sandin: Nothing will ever be okay again.
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- Mary Sandin: Just remember all the good the purge does.
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- Mary Sandin: We don't know who's after him.
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| The premise is ridiculous | 15 days ago | 313 |
| Wealthy white people.... | 2 months ago | 65 |
| Guess the tomatometer | 24 days ago | 38 |
| Why this movie is just a ripoff of the strangers. | 3 months ago | 36 |
| It's the will of Landru!!! | 3 months ago | 20 |
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Foreign Titles
- American Nightmare (FR)
- The Purge: La noche de las bestias (ES)
