i want that time back

Rating: 2/10 (21 April 2014)

So, i like the concept. +1 for the concept, it drew me to the movie and made me want to watch it.
The script was sheer drivel, with so many plot holes it's difficult to actually call it a script. The acting and/or directing was sub par. I cared nothing for any of the characters. There was a pretense at an internal struggle over the right and wrong of the purge, but it fell absolutely flat. No more stars for you. At least I only lost an hour and a half with this junk.
Seriously, Ethan Hawk's character sells security systems, and apparently does fairly well at it. So just where does he get his ninja powers? How many people does he manage to kill? Same with his wife. Secretly studying karate? What makes it believable?
Worse than that were the kids. Their kids are idiots. And, if your kids are idiots, it just makes sense to give your idiot son the code to unlock your house, right? "Here son, go hide in the basement, but make sure to wave your flashlight around so you can be easily found by the people that want to kill us, okay?" The idiot daughter has an idiot boyfriend that thinks he's going to endear himself to his girlfriend by trying to kill her father. Yeah, that works.
And then there's the guy that smiles all the time. Maybe the best character of them all, but come on. He's on a time constraint to get his purge on. Go find the next homeless victim. Oh, I forgot, you're supposed to be crazy.
James DeMonaco lets his characters fall victim to the overdone mode of stupidly and blindly striking out on their own, getting attacked, and calling it suspense. Sometimes that works (like maybe Scream, Blair Witch Project, or Bruce Campbell flicks.) Here the characters just seem stupid.
Doesn't it make sense to have a safe room to fall back to just in case that really expensive and easily defeated whole house system is defeated? Would they really not think to test the defense system against a truck with a chain attached to it? Would they not think to have a 12 hour power backup system, like maybe a battery? If you're rich enough to afford it, wouldn't you have insisted on the optional lethal force external perimeter installation? Movie doesn't work anymore? REWRITE IT GODDAM IT!
Oh yeah, now we better circle back to the crazy neighbor we introduced at the beginning of the movie, can't forget that. What's up with the religious/political chanting? The cult of the purge? Another interesting idea, but the script just couldn't pull it off. It just seemed silly. And poorly written. And poorly directed. And poorly acted.
A sequel? Sure, why not. Written and directed by the same guy? Nope, I don't think so. Call me when you get someone who can write and direct.