The Purge Reviews

What should be a taut thriller stretches into an overextended slog with periodic scolding lectures.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5

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.

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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.

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It's a rather ludicrous premise that's employed to persistently underwhelming effect by writer/director James DeMonaco...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4

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.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4

...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.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5

Contrary to the home-invasion emphasis of its trailer, it never loses touch with its ingenious premise.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4

...a big, dumb home invasion horror movie.

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DeMonaco makes his point, but it's one that only resonates in the improbable scenario he's concocted.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10

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.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5

Writer-director James DeMonaco's The Purge fritters away its promise in lurid, frenzied violence.

Full Review | Original Score: C

The execution is lackluster in this subversive examination of contemporary suburban violence, which gradually drains the credibility from its intriguing if cynical futuristic idea.

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Have you seen worse? Sure. I suppose you could call this efficient, but that stops short of being a recommendation.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5

Lacks the Strength of its Flimsy Convictions

Full Review | Original Score: 2.0/4.0

It really oughtn't be quite this easy to screw up something as bog-standard as a home invasion thriller quite this thoroughly.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/10

"The Purge" plays like a weak "Twilight Zone" episode whose message gets horribly muddled by its over-the-top violence.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4

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.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4

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

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4

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.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4

If The Purge is as far-sighted as Network proved to be, we are in for very ugly times.

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