Obsolescent plot decently performed

Rating: 5/10 (28 June 2013)

21st century has given different low-budget thrillers where the events develop in a limited space and limited time, often with a rich family involved, e.g. Panic Room or Trespass or Funny Games. All tense in a way or another, focusing on tough choices and pondering on human value and dignity. The Purge is another movie in that row and, as the topic is exploited too often, it brings along too many clichés, improbable solutions and odd ending.
However, good actors like Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey squeeze the most out of it; at the same time, those depicting children or gang members are not inviting. And what was the purpose of including an African American - an attempt to widen the audience?
Not to mention the fact that the idea behind/beyond the purge is rather dumb; I could picture a day when criminals could be punished and disputes settled out-of-court, but the meaning visible in this movie is just a mind-twister without any logic. But as all this lasts less than 1,5 hours, it is a kind of thrilling entertainment without wasting too much time.