Cool concept, horrible execution

Rating: 4/10 (10 June 2013)

Well we have a new contender for the #1 spot in my Worst Films of 2013. There is so much wrong with 'The Purge' that I don't know where to begin.
The performances were dismal and most of the casting choices were questionable, at best. The only actors who I think carried their roles well were the two that portrayed Charlie Sandin and the Bloody Stranger. I am sorry to say that I did not like Ethan Hawke's character at all in this movie.
The concept for this film was promising but what I saw on screen was not what I expected. This is nothing but a home invasion movie, think The Strangers, except that here murder is not only legal but government sanctioned once a year. What should have been a film about suppressing one's animalistic urges becomes quite the joke. It attempts to be intelligent but falls extremely short of that. Why in a world where purging is legal and you could potentially become someone's target, would you not learn how to shoot or defend yourself? How can you not learn to not only protect yourself but also teach your loves ones how to defend themselves as well? How do you work as a salesman for a home defense company and don't know that your product is virtually crap? Why would you not have a backup plan in case of emergencies given your field of employment? Why was the daughter more worried about her boyfriend that her father who he tried to kill?
And for those complaining about the ending, I quite liked it myself. I don't think movies, especially those of this genre, have to have a 'happily ever after' and really, by this point of the film I really wanted James Sandin dead.
This film had so much potential but was unfortunately poorly executed!