surprising elements lead me to write this review

Rating: 9/10 (16 January 2014)

This is my first review on this website and i feel like the purge deserves one because the film truly keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the full run time. (contains mild spoilers) The first half of the film generally annoyed me because the dad is the only likable character and everyone turns against him.. Considering the concept of the purge is an annual day of survival/crime.. you'd think the family would be used to not letting people in when they say 'please, help me' and that the son would know the high security password the locks down the whole house.. never mind that. At this point i was quite disappointed as i really enjoyed the concept of a 'Purge day' and it felt like the idea wasn't given full justice.
My opinion changed however as the film developed into the second half as it explores morality and whether humans can just change for one night. I don't feel like it needed to have a crazy scene where you see the world falling to pieces.. the idea was gripping enough.. and in terms of suspense and horror- it was actually pretty good. That is why I have rated it a 9/10 because it's not often you find a really good idea paired with genuine suspense and good elements of horror.
Towards the end of the film i found myself shouting at the camera shots because you are dying to know what will happen to this family and all you get is slow close-ups.
I can't truly explain why i enjoyed this film in a written review like this but i think some may feel the same when they watch it and i don't think it's fair to judge by the IMDb rating.. just watch it with an open opinion and judge for yourself