Rated
R (Strong Disturbing Violence and Some Language)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 25 Minutes
Cast-
Ethan
Hawke-James Sandin
Lena
Headey-Mary Sandin
Adelaide
Kane-Zoey Sandin
Max
Burkholder-Charlie Sandin
Edwin
Hodge-Bloody Stranger
Rhys
Wakefield-Polite Stranger
Tony
Oller-Henry
Arija
Bareikis-Grace Ferrin
Dana
Bunch-Mr. Ferrin
Tisha
French-Mrs. Halverson
Chris
Mulkey-Mr. Halverson
Tom
Yi-Mr. Cali
Peter
Gvozdas-Dr. Peter Buynak
Directed
by James DeMonaco
 |
| Hide yo kids, hide yo wife, and hide yo husband, cuz they be purgin’ everyone out here! |
Note: Screened on Monday, June 3, 2013 at the Angelika Film Center.
Famous
comedian Bill Cosby once said that 'the main goal of the future is to stop
violence. The world is addicted to it.' The Boston Bombing, the Sandy Hook massacre,
the Aurora shooting…we are constantly surrounded by violence and it's gotten to
the point where such events aren't even shocking anymore; we've become desensitized
to them. Whether its resources, religion, ideology, or plain simple hatred, humans
have been killing each other since the dawn of time and it all leads back to one
age-old question: are we an inherently violent species? That's a very big issue to tackle, especially for a
horror/thriller flick like James DeMonaco's "The Purge," the latest
from low-budget producer Blumhouse Productions. Summer isn't usually the best
time to release a horror film (Remember last year's "Chernobyl Diaries"?
Of course you don't) but that hasn't stopped Hollywood studios from chasing after
the next sleeper hit. This is DeMonaco's second time sitting in the director's
chair (his previous credits include 2009's "Staten Island" and the
script for the "Assault on Precinct 13" remake) and he's once again
recruited Ethan Hawke to his cause by casting him in the lead role. Although
"The Purge" offers up an intriguing social allegory between the haves
and the have-nots, the film unfortunately devolves into a generic home-invasion
thriller, thereby squandering what few good ideas it has.
In
the year 2022, the United States is 'a nation reborn' and experiencing a wave
of prosperity thanks to the efforts of the 'New Founding Fathers,' who've not
only virtually eliminated crime and poverty, but also reduced unemployment to a
mere 1%. Their success is attributed to the 28th Amendment, which institutes an
annual 'Purge' over the course of one single night—March 21-22, from 7:00 P.M.
to 7:00 A.M.—where all criminal activity, including murder, is legal. Police,
fire, and emergency medical services are suspended during this twelve-hour period,
with the only restrictions being that 'Level 10' government officials are off-limits
and usage of 'Class 4' weaponry is forbidden. Taking advantage of the
Purge is high-tech home security salesman James Sandin (Ethan Hawke), who's been
making a killing in the business and is even planning on buying a boat! As the
night in question gets underway, James locks down his home and settles in for a
quiet evening with his wife Mary (Lena Headey), and teenage children Charlie (Max
Burkholder) and Zoey (Adelaide Kane). When Charlie overhears a homeless, bloodied
stranger (Edwin Hodge) begging for help, he panics and lets him in, throwing
the Sandin's home into disarray. A stand-off ensues between James and the stranger
but it is interrupted by Zoey's boyfriend Henry (Tony Oller), who attempts to gun
her father down for trying to end their relationship. The Sandins are soon besieged
by a group of masked Purgers led by a Polite Stranger (Rhys Wakefield), who gives
the family an ultimatum: deliver the homeless 'swine' or he will kill them all.
"The
Purge" definitely starts off on a strong and promising note as video-camera
footage of previous Purges are shown during the opening credits while Claude Debussy's
Clair de Lune plays in the background.
It immediately sets a chilling and disturbing tone, with the grainy feeds depicting
various acts of brutal violence. The rationale behind the Purge is that humans are
inherently violent and that the only way to keep those urges in check is to let
them loose for one day a year. It's not exactly the most original of concepts
(the "Star Trek" episode 'The Return of the Archons' featured a very
similar premise) but it does inspire debate and that's not something you see
every day in a genre film. Various talking heads argue over the ethics of the
Purge, with some accusing it of being a ploy to weed out undesirables. DeMonaco
raises a number of interesting questions in regards to human nature and class warfare,
and I found his dystopian vision of America compelling but it doesn't seem like
he thought it through logically. The film is set nine years from now. How can
our country be upended so suddenly to allow such an event to take place? Even
more problematic are the rules and regulations, which contradict each other.
It's stated that there is no police during the Purge so who makes sure that no
one uses a restricted weapon during this supposed 'free-for-all'? By far the
most puzzling aspect is why people don't just pack their bags and leave the
country. There has to be those who don't support the Purge and honestly, can mankind's
violent urges be contained to one single night? What's stopping them from
committing crimes on any other day of the year? The more you think about the premise,
the more holes that pop up!
Not
only does DeMonaco fail to develop his ideas but he completely abandons them in
the second half of the film as it devolves into a rip-off of "The Strangers."
This being a Blumhouse Production, the Sandin's home is predictably plunged
into darkness when the masked Purgers cut the power, leaving you to wonder why
James would install a security system that can be broken into without any
effort at all. What follows is a generic game of hide-and-seek, with suspense
replaced by characters behaving in the most idiotic manner possible. Instead of
sticking with the rest of her family, a hysterical Zoey runs off on her own for
no discernible reason but she looks like a genius compared to her little brother
Charlie. It is his actions that put
his entire family in danger in the first place! There is one memorable scene,
however, and it takes place in a rec room where James is surrounded by multiple
intruders, forcing him to basically go Rambo. Although excellently choreographed,
it has the unfortunate side effect of undermining the film's overall message. "The
Purge" serves as a cautionary tale against violence yet we're expected to
cheer when James is blasting away the loonies like he's in "Call of
Duty." Sure, he's defending his family and home but killing is killing no
matter the reasons. By fetishizing the very violence that he's critiquing, DeMonaco
has created a film that's both morally confused and amoral.
Acting-wise,
it's a mixed bag. Ethan Hawke is obviously only on-hand to pick up a paycheck
yet he still manages to lend some weight to his character as he grapples with
his moral compass. Lena Headey is fine but her interactions with Hawke feel
stilted; it's hard to see the two as a married couple. Playing their children are
Max Burkholder and Adelaide Kane, and while I have nothing against them, it doesn't
change the fact that they're little more than poorly-developed horror clichés
who run around making the worst decisions possible. The cast's sole saving grace
is Rhys Wakefield as the Polite Stranger. Posh, creepy, menacing, and thoroughly
sadistic with his Joker-like grin, the Australian actor certainly makes for an appropriately
unhinged antagonist. Warner Brothers would be wise to look to his performance
here when it comes time to fill the role for the Clown Prince of Crime in their
eventual "Batman" reboot (You know it's happening!).
"The
Purge" was released on June 7, 2013 to largely mixed reviews, with 41% on Rotten
Tomatoes. Critics admired DeMonaco's 'attempts to use thriller formula to make an
intelligent point—but [the film] ultimately end up sinking in numbing violence and
tired clichés.' Universal is obviously hoping for this to become the next
"Paranormal Activity" and it appears their investment is paying off
in a big way. Made on a measly production budget of $3 million, the film has already
grossed five times this amount and is expected to finish the weekend with $35
million! I am honestly at a loss for words because it didn't seem like there was
much interest or awareness among moviegoers, although the advance screening on
Monday did pack a full house. It just goes to show how easy an effective marketing
campaign can turn crap into gold. Its premise is ripe with potential but DeMonaco's
"The Purge" fails to do anything meaningful with it, resorting to
tired horror tropes and frankly, wasting our time.
Final
Rating: 2 out of 5
"Our
target for this year's Purge is hiding in your home. You have one hour to find
him and give him to us or we will kill all of you."
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