From the very beginning, the film is shrouded in a certain sense of anxiety and general insecurity. It immediately becomes clear that something slightly beyond the scope of everyday life awaits us ahead.
The action takes place in the future. True, in the very near future, or more precisely, in 2022. And here, unlike the so boring apocalyptic plots, the future promises to be bright: without unemployment, wars and crime. True, with one but . Once a year, for 12 hours, all crimes become legal. From 7 pm to 7 am, ambulances, police and fire services do not work, and people are called upon to protect themselves. On this night, everything is allowed. The main thing is to survive until dawn.
The opinions of society itself about this night, for obvious reasons, are very divided. Some, remembering how the world looked before it, prefer to survive these 12 hours, closing their eyes (and necessarily the doors) from what is happening around. And some try with all their might to… not die. And, as a rule, these two parts of society often do not intersect.
The plot centers on a perfectly prosperous family living in a luxurious country house. The head of the family, James Sendin (Ethan Hawke), has made a good fortune selling alarm and home security systems, which, for obvious reasons, have become incredibly popular with the advent of the annual Purge. Both James and his family are fairly balanced about these events, because “they have the means to afford protection.” And only his son, Charlie, is not quite sure that indifference is right.
As the Purge approaches, the streets of the wealthy neighborhood become quiet. And suddenly… a man appears right in front of the Sendin family’s house, calling for help. It’s obvious that he’s bleeding. And approaching shots can already be heard from behind. Charlie decides to let the stranger in. His parents are extremely unhappy, but…
Very soon, their problem will not be the victim, but… his hunters. After all, they want their Purge to end successfully, no matter what.
The film captivates with its dynamics and the sharpness of the plot. It cannot be called a standard “horror”, rather it is a full-fledged thriller. Here you are not horrified by disgusting, but completely unrealistic things, here everything is more than real , and you subconsciously put yourself in the place of the main characters.
“The Purge” is an extremely social film. After all, in parallel with the horrors of bloody reprisals, we see such everyday human feelings as anger, hatred, envy. The authors of the film seem to be trying to prove to us that perhaps the Purge is not a way out.
So where is the solution then? I think after watching the film everyone will understand for themselves.
