Entertaining, but nothing special.

Rating: 6/10 (19 January 2014)

The filmmakers here, led by writer / director James DeMonaco, get your attention with an effective "hook" but then don't develop things as interestingly as one might hope. It's too bad, because as others have said, the material *did* have potential, but ultimately this is a Hollywood product where nuance is shoved aside in favour of a familiar siege / home invasion type scenario. That's not to say that the film is incompetently made - it's slick and watchable, with some decent suspense and jump moments, as well as a bit of gore - but the viewer will likely end up thinking that they've seen all this before.
Ethan Hawke, who'd starred in the "Assault on Precinct 13" remake that DeMonaco had written, is front and centre here as James Sandin, a salesman for a security system company. He and his family live in a future year (2022, to be exact) where the government thinks it's figured out how to channel the aggressive instincts of its citizens - allow them a 12 hour period once every year, dubbed a "purge", where all crime is permitted and people can release all of their pent up hostility. Sandin and his loved ones get caught up in an untenable situation when his son Charlie (Max Burkholder) gives sanctuary to a wounded stranger (Edwin Hodge), whose tormentors, led by a well spoken young man (Rhys Wakefield) soon come calling.
What's going to lose some members of the audience is the fact that, as in so many films of this kind, the characters act in order to serve the purpose of the story rather than act sensibly. Still, it does get ones' bloodlust boiling; people may end up wishing that this dumb family bites it as violently as their enemies do. By the end, it's hard not to be yelling at the screen.
The actors do what they can with the script and dialogue. Co-starring are the always watchable Lena Headey as the wife / mother, Adelaide Kane as the bratty, sullen daughter, Arija Bareikis as annoying neighbour Grace, and veteran Chris Mulkey as area local Mr. Halverson. The standout is clearly Australian actor Wakefield, who's chillingly civil as the leader of the gang.
This film does kill time fairly well but it's inevitably going to let some viewers down. Maybe things will get a little more intriguing in the inevitable sequel.
Six out of 10.