MOVIE REVIEW: "BECOME A BADDIE FOR 12 HOURS WITH THE PURGE!"

Imagine! Imagine you are given 12 hours free pass to commit any crime, especially Kill! The thought may seem delightful for most of us who have horrible bosses because I am sure they will be the first persons we would hunt down if given the opportunity. But actually, the concept has repercussions on anyone as you may not know who has some beef with you.
That's what they tried to preach in the movie that had Ethan Hawke play the major role as James Sandin, a home security salesman whose family is held hostage for harboring the target of a murderous syndicate during the Purge, a 12-hour period in which any and all crime is legalized.

The film is set in the year 2022 when the United States has become "a nation reborn", with crime and unemployment rates hitting an all-time low, due to the government having instituted an annual 12-hour period called "the Purge" during which all criminal activity (including murder, theft and rape) becomes legal. The only rules during the Purge are that government officials of "ranking 10 or higher" must remain unharmed and usage of weaponry above "Class 4" (such as WMDs) is forbidden. The Purge is designed to act as a catharsis for the American people, so that they may vent all negative emotions and repressed urges however and on whoever they desire. The idea of "The Purge" is very similar to the Krypteia tradition every autumn of ancient Sparta.

James Sandin (Ethan Hawke) is a wealthy home security salesman who lives in a nice neighborhood in the streets of San Francisco, California. James has made a fortune selling home security systems that are specifically designed for the Purge. His family is the envy of all as neighbors gossip that the extension on the Sandin family's house was financed by the security systems which her husband had sold to the whole neighbourhood in the first place.

On the day of the annual free crime event, an Emergency Broadcast System message appears on television, telling America the rules of the Purge and that all police, fire, and hospital aid will be shut down for the 12 hour period. Tornado sirens start blaring outside, commencing the start of the annual "Purge", which is a period when all crime is legal and emergency services remain suspended.

At their heavily-fortified house, the Sandin family watch the events of the Purge unfold via the video monitors in the lounge. After a while, Charlie, James Sandin's son, is left alone and notices a bloody stranger outside the house pleading for help. Charlie deactivates the security system and lets him in. 

Later, a group of masked vigilantes led by a sadistic young man who wears a suit and is known as "Polite Leader" arrive at their home, having found where the bloody stranger is hiding. The leader emphasizes that James' family and the "Purgers" have common interests in the Purge, and that they have no desire to hurt "their own people". The leader reveals that the stranger's homelessness made him in a good candidate for purging, and that James should not impede their right to purge. The leader suggests the family give them the stranger or else they'll kill everyone inside.

The movie was brilliant in concept but failed to have it properly actualized. When something like a purge is universally accepted as an event, highly revered and sought after, the movie should try at least to broaden the scenes of the movie beyond a home or a neighborhood. The movie becomes tiring to watch as one would easily predict what would happen next, and guess what, the predictions comes out right. But one thing is true, the movie has potential and would have been one of the best movies of the year if the film makers had put in enough time to create scenes that best depicts their imagination when the concept was created.

The Purge received mixed to negative reviews from critics. As of August 27, 2013 Rotten Tomatoes recorded an aggregate rating of 38% based on 126 reviews, with the site's consensus stating "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 cliches". The film held a score of 41/100 on Metacritic based on 33 critics, signifying mixed or average reviews. The film received a "C" onCinemaScore.

On its opening weekend, The Purge topped the box office with $16.8 million on opening day and $34.1 million through the entire weekend. The film has collected $84,552,035 at the worldwide box office, with a production budget of $3 million.

Due to the success of the first film, a sequel is in development by Universal and Blumhouse.