The Purge (2012)

In the year 2022 the New Founding Fathers of America have ushered in a new age of peace and prosperity; Crime is at an all time low, and unemployment is down to 1%.
The secret of the New Founding Father's success is "The Purge", an annual event in which, for 12 hours, Emergency services are suspended, and all crime is legal.
James Sandin sells security systems specifically intended to keep those who can afford them safe during The Purge. After locking his family home down for the night, his son takes pity on a man who is being hunted, and disarms the system long enough to let him in.
The man's pursuers soon show up and offer the Sandins an ultimatum: deliver him alive before the gang's heavy equipment arrives, or they will force their way in and kill everyone inside.
Can the Sandins find the man, now hiding in their home, and if they can find him, can they bring themselves to turn him over?

---

Maybe I'm overthinking this movie, but the concept alone was enough to put me off; forgetting the inevitable UN intervention that would follow, it's just an all 'round bad plan.

I can see the drop in unemployment, given that those without jobs would be unable to afford the weapons or fancy-ass security systems, needed to survive the night (indeed, this is hinted at as the reason for low unemployment in the movie) but what of the blue-collie workers? After a few years, will there be anyone left to flip burgers, pump gas or empty the bins? Not to mention that most of those we see taking part are not the people who would commit violent crime the rest of the year, are we to accept that killing a hobo or two once a year removes the desire to commit fraud, or hold up liquor stores? I can see a slowdown in the killing of family members or cheating spouses the rest of the year (why kill him / her now and risk arrest, when you can wait a few months and do it with impunity) but thats about all. 

On top of that there are rules even on Purge night - government officials of 'rank 10 or higher' must not be harmed, and 'class 4 weapons' are still forbidden (we never hear what these ranks / classes actually mean) but with no police on duty, and the witnesses likely to end up dead, what's to make sure they are followed?

And what about the poor bastards who have accidents in their homes, or suddenly rupture their appendix? What happens to them while the Emergancy services are closed for the night?

And the cleanup! That alone must take weeks and cost millions!

On top of all that, this is 9 years from now (10 from the movies release) - The Purge is already well established, so what the hell is supposedly going to happen in the next few years that it comes to this?

Like I said, I may have over thought this, so accepting that 'The Purge' is a real and beneficial thing, what of the movie itself?

Within meting the family, we are shown not only Chekhov's gun,  but also Chekhov's heart monitor, Chekhov's spy robot, and Chekhov's hidey-hole. Yup, this is one of those movies that likes to smack you around the face with the foreshadowing. 

Once the purge begins, and the homeless guy has been let in, and hidden in the house, the family barely have time to argue amongst themselves, before the hunting party arrive and give their terms. 

I don't think I'm spoiling anything by telling you that at some point this becomes a Home invasion movie (either because the hunters eventually get in, or because their pray is determined not to be kicked out) and from that point the premise is somewhat wasted; anyone that's broken into your home is unlikely to be following the letter of the law, and (in the US at least) anything you do to an intruder is nice and legal anyway, and so the very notion of The Purge goes from being flawed to being redundant for a large part of the film. 

There is a minor twist in the films final act, but the foreshadowing was there, and anyone who's been paying attention will see it coming long before the reveal. 

There was a little top much emphasis on murder for my liking too; aside from a few small references to rape, it seems that "all crime (including murder) is legal" may as well have been "murder is legal" - no one, it seems, wants to just go out and trash the town centre, or steal cars and race them around the streets. 

There's a bit of a "haves vs have nots" 'message' going on (remember, this was produced while the 'occupy movement' were still being loud) and there's a big dose of "the ends do not justify the means" but a movie that's trying to carry a political message, really needs to be clever enough to think through its basic premise.  

All that said, I do like a home invasion movie, and if you can slam your brain in neutral regards the setup, there are worse ways to kill 90 or so minutes. 

A special mention should go out to Edwin Hodge, who's portrayal of "Polite Leader", the genuinely psychopathic leader of the purgers, is (perhaps a little too) utterly convincing. 

I'm not going to mark this "recommended' but I enjoyed it enough that I'll check out the inevitable sequel.