Set in the near future, the authorities have found a novel idea of dealing with crime.
For one night of the year, all crime is legal across America between the hours of 7pm-7am. Where you can quite literally "get away with murder", and anything
else that people want to do.
Referred to as 'The Purge', the authorities have discovered that allowing people to do what they want for one night, has resulted in the lowest crime rate in centuries during the rest of the year.
For the Sandin's, a fairly well-off family who live in a gated community, they feel fairly secure. It's a nice neighbourhood, full of wealthy people, far away from the "problem" areas of the inner cities, and Husband James (Ethan Hawk) works for a security company, so they have all the latest hi-tech steel shutters and security systems they feel will keep trouble out, if it comes calling.
Unfortunately, when their young son allows a homeless person, who's being chased by a group of young psychopaths, to take shelter in their house. It marks the start of a violent siege, as the group chasing him want this guy at any cost, and the family are left with a choice of whether to give this guy up, or wait for them to break in and fight them off.
Part action feature and part psychological horror, about the darker side of human nature. This is a very interesting film, that shows the sort of behaviour will revert to, once all consequences to your actions are removed, and just how far people are prepared to go, just to protect what is theirs.
Overall I really enjoyed this, a very grim and disturbing film that makes you stop to consider whether the ends can ever truly justify the means.
