Same Old, Same Old!

Rating: 5/10 (2 June 2015)

Since time unmemorable, stories have been written about people engaging in government-sanctioned death matches. Before THE PURGE, there was THE HUNGER GAMES. Before HUNGER GAMES, there was BATTLE ROYALE (the movie HUNGER GAMES ripped off). Before BATTLE ROYALE, there was THE RUNNING MAN. And on, and on, and on the list goes. While there's probably some unhappy corner of the globe, where such events are possible, it gets old after awhile. Enter THE PURGE. In the US of the near future, crime is now non-existent and there's very little in the terms of rage and violence. What's the solution? One night a year, for 12 hours, the nation holds The Purge. In that period of time, all law enforcement, firefighting services, and medical assistance is suspended. People are allowed to commit atrocities with impunity. Anyone who doesn't want to participate simply has to close the shutters and wait it out in the "safety" of their own homes. YEAH RIGHT! In THE PURGE, we're introduced to a bland upper-middle class family who want nothing to do with the annual cleansing process. But wouldn't ya know? The baddies come a-callin' and won't take "no" for an answer. So now, this mild-mannered family must find it in themselves to fight against the various murder-hungry punks. Overall, it's exciting. Though it does stretch the boundaries of believability quite a bit. Take it or leave it. But underneath it all, it's just the same old, same old ultra-violence!