I still remember all the rage these movies where when they first came out. I’m with my sister and mom and “we” decided to play the second one in the trilogy. It ended up being one of those movies that’s so bad it’s a little good.
The Purge is an annual event where there’s no laws for one night. Stealing, robbing, and anything else goes. The movie explores the idea of how it’s targeted against the lower class that can’t afford to defend or protect itself. While the homeless are hiding underground, the rich are hosting purging parties and purchasing people to kill. Then the rest of the year the government claims crime is at all time lows due to people waiting for their jail free crime day. As crazy as the whole concept sounds; it’s something I could see happening in an alternate universe.
This follows a group of 5 civilians during the purge who end up united together. Leo saves the mother and daughter combo from a government raid and Shane and Liz end up joining after being chased from a group of anarchists targeting them. They had made the dumbass decision to get groceries an hour before the purge started and their car was tampered with leaving them stranded. It’s decisions like these and the uninspired dialogue that follows them that leaves me baffled and frustrated with this movie. I want to suspend my belief, but cmon y’all are asking for it.
So yeah the dialogue is horrendous. Leo saves their asses and then all four beg him to escort them to a safe place. Then as he’s reluctantly escorting them and doing a pretty damn good job at it as they keep getting in his way, they start questioning why he’s out during the purge and his motives. It frustrated me just as much as it frustrated him.
The actual action is ok and it has both bad and good moments. I enjoyed seeming them sold into the rich person party where the wealthy bid on the ability to hunt them. It was satisfying watching Leo going from huntee to hunter. It was also interesting finally discovering what Leo’s initial objective was. His son was killed by a drunk driver who got off mostly scott free. The driver has a wife and kids and Leo wants to “avenge” his son. The twist was that he spared him and then the driver saves Leos life when the head baddie shows up. Cheesy but fun.
Rating: 386/1000
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