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The Purge
2013 85 min France, United States of America R 18+
★5.5
Science Fiction, Horror, Thriller
Director: James DeMonaco
Trailers
EN
Teaser
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
Description
Given the country's overcrowded prisons, the U.S. government begins to allow 12-hour periods of time in which all illegal activity is legal. During one of these free-for-alls, a family must protect themselves from a home invasion.
Budget:
$3M
US Gross:
$64.47M
Worldwide:
$91.27M
Starring
Ethan Hawke
Actor
Lena Headey
Actor
Max Burkholder
Actor
Awards
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2014
— Most Frightened Performance
Saturn Awards 2014
— Best Horror Film
Key opinion
The Purge is widely recognized for its high-concept, compelling premise that effectively critiques social inequality and human nature. However, the film is frequently criticized for illogical character choices, a weak script, and a failure to fully capitalize on the potential of its unique setting.
| Originality | The film's high-concept premise is widely praised as original, intriguing, and a strong hook for a thriller. | |
| Acting | Lena Headey, Ethan Hawke, and Max Burkholder/Rhys Wakefield provide strong, memorable performances that elevate the material. | |
| Screenplay | The script is heavily criticized for containing major logic gaps and featuring characters who make consistently irrational, frustrating decisions. | |
| Theme | The film attempts to explore meaningful social commentary, but many find this execution heavy-handed and superficial. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on the pacing are split: some find the rising tension effective, while others believe the film is too slow or becomes tedious in its home-invasion focus. | |
| Ending | The ending is divisive, with some viewers finding it thought-provoking and others labeling it as abrupt or disappointing. |