A Case of the Could've Beens

Rating: 5/10 (10 June 2013)

As a premise The Purge threatens to be something special - in the near future there is a 12 hour window once a year when all crime is legal, i.e. anything goes. With that set up there are any number of tantalising stories that could've been pursued so it's disappointing to report that we are treated to little more than a bog standard 'family protecting their home' plot that has been explored so often in film.
Ethan Hawke plays James Sandlin, a home security salesman and therefore held in high regard, particularly around the time when the next 'Purge' is to occur. With a stereotypical movie family at home he locks the place down for the annual 12 hour crime fest that will take place far away from their gated community haven. Except someone else is in the house and their quiet neighbourhood isn't quite as tranquil as they would hope.
It is sadly all rather mundane with perfunctory performances from all involved, including Hawke whose eclectic career is littered with occasional forgettable roles such as this. Things do get slightly more interesting as the tension is cranked up towards the finale but to its detriment it insists on hammering home the moralistic conundrum that is the purge itself rather than just accepting the premise for what it is.
The ending is telegraphed right from the opening scenes and you are simply left with a feeling of nice idea but where's the rest of it?