Movie Reviews

The Purge

Movie 10: The Purge 'Reminder all emergency services will be suspended' (2013)

Cast:

James Sandin- Ethan Hawke

Mary Sandin- Lena Headey

Charlie Sandin- Max Burkholder

Zoey Sandin- Adelaide Kane

The Man- Edwin Hodge

Movie Information:

Rating- 14A for frightening scenes, violence and gore

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Movie Summary:

            Once a year in the USA there is a 12-hour period when all laws are dropped and no emergency services are working including hospitals and police. This day is called a purge, everyone is allowed to kill whoever they want to release any anger they’ve build up. This has resulted in low crime rates during the rest of the year, and the lost of many poor people during the purge. They don’t have enough money to protect themselves making them an easy target.

            James a wealthy man living in a rich neighbourhood is driving home after installing a security system in a house on the block. He has made a lot of money off of the neighbourhood, and is the number one security system installer person (something like that) He goes home to his big house and gives his wife, Mary blue flowers to place outside to show they support the purge. While Mary goes out to place them, her neighbour comes up to her to give her cookies and to say all the people in the neighbourhood think their house extension is the neighbourhood’s money from the security system. Mary goes back inside and the family has dinner. The oldest daughter, Zoey is upset at her father because she isn’t allowed to see her boyfriend who is too old for her. The younger brother, Charlie has a camera baby on a car called Timmy that he uses to spy on people.

            They finish up dinner and they arm the security system, steel walls on the doors and windows. The brother doesn’t support the purge and asks why his parents don’t participate. James simply responds saying they don’t feel the urge to kill, but if they did, they would. The family separates and do their own thing. Zoey is in her room, where she hears a noise. Her boyfriend snuck in the house before the system was armed. He wants to confront her dad about not allowing them to date. Meanwhile Charlie is watching the security cameras around his house. A man is running outside asking for help. Charlie opens the security system to let the man in. The man rushes in right before the father closes the system. As the man stands at the closed door the sisters boyfriend shoots at her father, while the man runs off into the house. James shoots at his daughter’s boyfriend and kills him. He takes Mary and Charlie into the room with the security controls and camera.            

            He checks on Zoey but can’t find her; he can’t find the man either. Suddenly shots go off outside. He checks his camera and a group of masked people stand in front of his door. They tell him if they don’t release the man inside they will get in and kill them all. They appear crazy and say they must purge and kill this man. James tells his family and they split up to find the man. Meanwhile Charlie uses his car/camera to hide the man in his secret door in his closet. The man hides in but then he sees his sister go in a few minutes after. The father finds the man with Zoey hostage. Mary sneaks up behind the man and they shoot him and knock him out.

            They tie the man up and prepare to give him outside to the masked group. His son and daughter are disgusted at what their parents are doing and when the father realizes this he changes plans. They arm themselves and then the masked people rip off the metal doors and windows. The group storm in and wreck their house. James kills them in their wreck room, but is stabbed by the leader.

            Meanwhile Mary is held down by a woman in a white nightgown and mask with another masked man, she is about to be stabbed with a huge machete but then her neighbours kill the masked people. Happy to see them she gathers the kids and finds her husband dying. They hug him, and cry until he dies. The daughter shoots the leader. At this point all the neighbours throw the father out of the way and tie up the mother and kids. Ready to kill them the man who managed to untie himself, however the mother doesn’t want to kill the neighbours and so they sit at the table and wait till seven when the purge is over. They then all leave and sirens are heard in the back round. THE END!!!!!

My Review:

            I enjoyed this movie, but still gave it only 3.5 stars because it did have its faults. I really liked the plot, the whole concept of this one-day you could do what ever you want was really interesting and unique. I liked the freaky people with the masks they were very weird and actually got people in the theatre to jump. I didn’t though because I did not find this movie actually scary.

            Now, some things I didn’t like. The movie was short, and it seemed repetitive. The masked guys were all dead, the father dead, but then the neighbours come and try to kill them. I would have liked the story line to have a but more meaning, it was unique yeah, but I expected the real reason over the purge was going to be some ancient paranormal thing. I guess that’s not much of a reason to give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars. Oh well. I had high expectations for this movie, and was a bit disappointed since, it really was just a crazy killer(s) movie. Also the ending was stupid.

            So, overall a pretty good movie. I would recommend people to see this movie, at the theatres now, since it gave the movie a more scarier feel (so my friends say) The sound was really good in the theatre and if you watch it off your computer or when its released it won’t be the same.