Really good thriller

Rating: 8/10 (15 July 2013)

This was surprisingly good, and delivered in the suspense and thrills dept. with a wallop. The direction was no nonsense and lean, with no unnecessary padding or scenes. I think this didn't get as much attention as it should have, and will be a good movie to rent if you didn't see it in the theater. Ethan Hawke is good as the devoted father, who just wants to save his family, no matter what the cost. But all the actors give good performances, from the kids to the strange neighbors, to the black guy who is on the run and trying to escape with his life.
There are some nice and suspenseful scenes with a building tension, and no cheap scares. I really liked the ending as well, with its neat twist. This is much more of a thriller than a horror, but does have some fairly graphic scenes of violence, so that is something to keep in mind. Anyone who likes thrillers with an intriguing science fiction-like premise shouldn't miss "The Purge".