Underrated commercial and critical success

Rating: 7/10 (22 March 2020)

7/10 up front.
Thrillers aren't really my thing, but that's not what was alluring to me about "The Purge." It was the concept. Just because most of America participates in some annual mass psychosis, does that make it right? The central characters of this film, a suburban family of four, are thrust into this moral dilemma against their will when a hunted man takes refuge in their home. "Purge" was a commercial success with a 30-to-1 ROI, something rarely seen in Hollywood. Perhaps that weighs on critics... "Purge" gently mocks the $300 million flagship pieces released each summer. Those expensive productions generally contain much less to think about than "Purge." It's not for everyone, but it still has me thinking after the on-screen thrills have faded.