Very interesting concept. Really, really stupid movie.
It's not that it isn't entertaining...it kinda is, but everything about it is stupid. I'll go into spoilers in a minute, but for now, see it if the concept of a U.S. that allows one night of zero crime interests you. Otherwise, skip it.
Yes, all crime apparently. Although, politicians are exempt. Not sure how that works since there are no police out and about. They also imply that this night really punishes the poor because the rich defend themselves with mansions. Yeah, I'm sure all the cops, firemen, military peeps, FBI, DEA, CIA, etc, etc, etc. are all ok with earning their small salaries which would leave their families in danger on this night.
Not a great film, and it's really obvious at times that it was shot on no budget.
One thing about the opening: They show lots of clips of violence. Some real, some not (I think). I know some are real because they show a clip of the shootout from the bar in Toledo two years ago. However, they label it somewhere other than Toledo. Also during the film they show the guy in Detroit who shot up the police station. Those incidents resulted in no deaths. So I assume they're ok to show. I highly doubt the executions they showed were real, or I would have seen them on YouTube by now.
SPOILERS BELOW:
Just off the top of my head:
-Teenagers don't act like that. They don't follow sociopaths (I know...), and they certainly don't think it's nothing that one of their friends executes another for no reason.
-The boyfriend's motivation is beyond stupid. I'll kill her father. That'll make her love me...
-Teenagers love confrontation, so obviously they're going to hunt for a homeless guy that got away in a really, really rich and gated neighborhood...? Anyway, said teenagers will obviously go to homes that are fortresses and threaten the adults within. Especially when it's obvious those same teens are from that neighborhood.
-Men and women will hunt said teenagers without any concern that it might be their kids.
-The neighbor's motivation might be the dumbest thing written in Hollywood over the last year. Your bloodlust wasn't quenched by killing the teens? Grown adults really feel the need to murder children with knives?
-Why didn't Ethan Hawke have the homeless guy help him from the start?
-That state of the art security system beaten by one truck? Really? Nobody anticipated that? What did they hook the truck up to?
-Speaking of that state of the art system, did you know that if you rip the sheet of metal over the front door off, then all the other metal covering the other doors and windows magically disappear?
-If there's no crime, where's everyone getting these assault rifles?
-This movie is in the running for most times a "good guy" is about to die with a bad guy on top of them, only to be saved by someone shooting the bad guy.
-The way the villain kills _'s fate is completely anti-climatic.
-Teenaged boys, when allowed to commit any crime, would rather kill hot women then rape them...Right...
-That's the biggest problem with the movie. It implies that we ALL want to commit heinous acts, and allowing us to do this once a year eliminates our urges the rest of the year. If only. Not everyone wants to do that. Hell, the early years of Ultima Online prove this theory is bullshit.
-So this has been going on x number of years, and yet people are still alive? We're talking thousands upon thousands of deaths per year. Who the fuck accepts this idea from their government?
-How stupid do you have to be to assault a fortress rather than kill easy pickings off the street?
I have to stop. It annoys me when shit like this gets made. You've got an interesting idea, why fuck it up by writing like you're a 6th grader strung out on Red Bull?
The Purge
You've got an interesting idea, why fuck it up by writing like you're a 6th grader strung out on Red Bull?
Have you met the average Hollywood writer, producer, or movie exec?
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Despite a critically panned original, here comes a sequel.
Like everyone else it seems they know the premise is cool.
Like everyone else it seems they know the premise is cool.
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
DVR'd this.
The premise is one that sounds interesting until you think about it for longer than five seconds and realize that the characters in this movie's world have been going along with it for years. Then it becomes painfully stupid, especially after you read the bit about high up gov't suits being off the menu. I imagine that rule was added after the first purge, when everyone in the country converged on DC (come on, prequel). Additionally, the scientist stating the this somehow slakes humanity's more animal, violent side in beyond insane. Chemically, the brain of a psychopath gets off on enjoying violence the same way most of ours enjoy cocaine, in an addictive fashion.
Standard spoiler warning, but you won't give a fuck.
Ethan Hawke designs security systems for a living. I'm going to assume he might have read up on siege warfare at some point in time. No automatic defenses? A few repeaters with motion sensors and laser tracking go a long way. Where's the fucking knockout gas that comes shooting out the vents? You only need to buy twelve hours of time. You have the entire year to prepare, Batcave the shit out of everything. You never thought, "Well, shit, what if they drive a truck up to the door? Nah, no way anyone will think of that." Other things he might've considered: Gun ports. Murderholes. Covered defensive firing positions. Body armour. Napalm. Homemade flamethrowers. A fucking plan in case of an attack that went deeper than, "Hide." Just wtf? Why wouldn't you take your family on an international vacation for that week instead of spending it on the ADT, Jr. security system?
"Hey, Fred, plans for the purge?"
"Fuck yes, Bill. I'm arming the motion sensor bombs and landmines then heading to Aruba. Entire place is rigged with death traps in case you're thinking of breaking in, asshole."
Also, if UO taught me anything, it's that PKs attract the anti-PKs. Sure as you've got roaming groups of entitled fratboy punks running around, you'll have those who form vigilante groups and oppose them. The notion that the middle class are going to turn on the poor instead of each other is insane, unless you specifically encourage them to do so. Consider what the criminal element of this country would do given a 12 hour blank check. Why don't they bulldoze some cop stations during this time or cripple some infrastructure to make their lives easier after the purge?
"Hey, mayor, looks like someone took out the city power system last night."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean they physically took it. All our generators and equipment are up for sale on ebay as we speak."
Anyway, no one's hitting up the ghetto because the poor don't have shit to take. That plays out at the end of the movie, when the rest of the suburbanites close in on the queen of Sparta. And about that...
If four people were about to execute your children, and you found the tables turned later on, I'm betting you'd kill those four folk. Maybe quickly, maybe slowly. But death would be a certainty. Nothing like neighbours that'll murder your kids given an opportunity. Bet that night leads to some uncomfortable mornings after.
Verdict:
I wish I could purge it from my mind.
Edited By Malcolm on 1402874379
The premise is one that sounds interesting until you think about it for longer than five seconds and realize that the characters in this movie's world have been going along with it for years. Then it becomes painfully stupid, especially after you read the bit about high up gov't suits being off the menu. I imagine that rule was added after the first purge, when everyone in the country converged on DC (come on, prequel). Additionally, the scientist stating the this somehow slakes humanity's more animal, violent side in beyond insane. Chemically, the brain of a psychopath gets off on enjoying violence the same way most of ours enjoy cocaine, in an addictive fashion.
Standard spoiler warning, but you won't give a fuck.
Ethan Hawke designs security systems for a living. I'm going to assume he might have read up on siege warfare at some point in time. No automatic defenses? A few repeaters with motion sensors and laser tracking go a long way. Where's the fucking knockout gas that comes shooting out the vents? You only need to buy twelve hours of time. You have the entire year to prepare, Batcave the shit out of everything. You never thought, "Well, shit, what if they drive a truck up to the door? Nah, no way anyone will think of that." Other things he might've considered: Gun ports. Murderholes. Covered defensive firing positions. Body armour. Napalm. Homemade flamethrowers. A fucking plan in case of an attack that went deeper than, "Hide." Just wtf? Why wouldn't you take your family on an international vacation for that week instead of spending it on the ADT, Jr. security system?
"Hey, Fred, plans for the purge?"
"Fuck yes, Bill. I'm arming the motion sensor bombs and landmines then heading to Aruba. Entire place is rigged with death traps in case you're thinking of breaking in, asshole."
Also, if UO taught me anything, it's that PKs attract the anti-PKs. Sure as you've got roaming groups of entitled fratboy punks running around, you'll have those who form vigilante groups and oppose them. The notion that the middle class are going to turn on the poor instead of each other is insane, unless you specifically encourage them to do so. Consider what the criminal element of this country would do given a 12 hour blank check. Why don't they bulldoze some cop stations during this time or cripple some infrastructure to make their lives easier after the purge?
"Hey, mayor, looks like someone took out the city power system last night."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean they physically took it. All our generators and equipment are up for sale on ebay as we speak."
Anyway, no one's hitting up the ghetto because the poor don't have shit to take. That plays out at the end of the movie, when the rest of the suburbanites close in on the queen of Sparta. And about that...
If four people were about to execute your children, and you found the tables turned later on, I'm betting you'd kill those four folk. Maybe quickly, maybe slowly. But death would be a certainty. Nothing like neighbours that'll murder your kids given an opportunity. Bet that night leads to some uncomfortable mornings after.
Verdict:
I wish I could purge it from my mind.
Edited By Malcolm on 1402874379
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Purge night:GORDON wrote:Ok, new game:
What do you do during Purge night? Also, I haven't seen the movie and don't know the rules... can't kill politicians, you say?
- All crime is legal for twelve hours, from 7pm to 7am.
- Emergency services are shut off.
- High-level politicians (level 10 ranking, whatever that means) are not fair game. Everyone else is.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Right now I am thinking Killdozer vs. bank vault.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
You have to keep in mind that you're fair game to everyone else. So while you're out trying to rob that bank, anyone who sees you could try and kill you.GORDON wrote:Right now I am thinking Killdozer vs. bank vault.
So you could assault a bank, but you'd need an amazing plan that doesn't fall apart due to variables. Or a big team to support you. Also, it'd be wise to do it in a smaller city to minimize variables, but that probably means less money.
Malcolm is right about leaving the country though, and honestly, wouldn't banks and corporations be prepared for this night? Banks would probably move their money or their branches would be fortresses. Corporate offices would also be well protected.
I can't imagine Kroger, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Meijer, etc. would be ok with their stores getting looted, vandalized, and perhaps destroyed one night every year.
Any psycho with the IQ and resources could decimate a city's population in that 12 hour span.
Also, think about the time leading up to it. Is it illegal to prep for that evening? Can you go out and build your own mini-nuke to blow up an entire town?
Again, interesting concept, but there would need to be some VERY strict ground rules laid down to ensure there's still a society when people wake up in the morning.
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
Again, interesting concept, but there would need to be some VERY strict ground rules laid down to ensure there's still a society when people wake up in the morning.
The more rules there are, the less cool the idea is.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Saw the movie, and I will address some of Leisher's original post in broad strokes.
My biggest problem was yes... decide to defend the homeless guy, but still leave him taped to the chair? Come on.
Aside from that, I didn't find it as far fetched as he did. I think a lot more people than we think have a mask over their psycho selves, we just never see the mask slip off 99% of them. We don't invade their privacy, and nothing ever happens to make their mask slip in public. I fully believe that many middle and upper class people would eat each other alive, if allowed.
As for the prep-school kids seeming to be absolutely insane: I can't help but feel like the movie was trying to address this. The dumb little kid who turned off security to help that guy, he was shown having issues with the morality of all of it. And that got me to wondering how kids who knew the Purge all their lives would develop mentally knowing that MURDER/RAPE/THEFT IS WRONG, except when it isn't, and everything is forgiven and forgotten at 7:05am. I think the Purge itself would erode the same morals that having a Purge was supposed to protect in the first place. So you have children of well-off parents who are taught by example their entire lives that it is patriotic to kill everyone with whom you have a philosophical or economic difference, and then they turn into teens with poor impulse control and a limited understanding of consequence and now have absolutely no qualms about being monsters for 12 hours out of the year. Maybe what we saw in the movie with the Killer Preppies was unique in that universe, we can't say with our limited knowledge of the night, but I think it is an interesting what-if.
Edited By GORDON on 1410270487
My biggest problem was yes... decide to defend the homeless guy, but still leave him taped to the chair? Come on.
Aside from that, I didn't find it as far fetched as he did. I think a lot more people than we think have a mask over their psycho selves, we just never see the mask slip off 99% of them. We don't invade their privacy, and nothing ever happens to make their mask slip in public. I fully believe that many middle and upper class people would eat each other alive, if allowed.
As for the prep-school kids seeming to be absolutely insane: I can't help but feel like the movie was trying to address this. The dumb little kid who turned off security to help that guy, he was shown having issues with the morality of all of it. And that got me to wondering how kids who knew the Purge all their lives would develop mentally knowing that MURDER/RAPE/THEFT IS WRONG, except when it isn't, and everything is forgiven and forgotten at 7:05am. I think the Purge itself would erode the same morals that having a Purge was supposed to protect in the first place. So you have children of well-off parents who are taught by example their entire lives that it is patriotic to kill everyone with whom you have a philosophical or economic difference, and then they turn into teens with poor impulse control and a limited understanding of consequence and now have absolutely no qualms about being monsters for 12 hours out of the year. Maybe what we saw in the movie with the Killer Preppies was unique in that universe, we can't say with our limited knowledge of the night, but I think it is an interesting what-if.
Edited By GORDON on 1410270487
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
I think a lot more people than we think have a mask over their psycho selves, we just never see the mask slip off 99% of them.
You don't play enough poker. It's a bitch for people to hide their true nature. Some people have a knack for ferreting out such bullshittery.
So you have children of well-off parents who are taught by example their entire lives that it is patriotic to kill everyone with whom you have a philosophical or economic difference...
On that one day of the year. The other 364 days of examples don't count.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Right?TPRJones wrote:*slowly edges away from GORDON*
Gordon's just channeling his inner Dr. Cox.
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You might want to claim that people wear a mask and whatnot, but that's mostly bullshit. Sure, some do, and given the right circumstances many would take you out, but those circumstances would more than likely involve their own survival or their families' survival. In this scenario, you have people leaving their homes, putting themselves in harm's way, and for what? Because the neighbors have a bigger TV or some shit? In case you didn't notice, everyone on that street had money. And who the fuck leaves safety to be mean to a neighbor? ESPECIALLY in a darkened house with random killers walking around in it!
Self-Preservation > Being a meanie
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
Re: The Purge
"I purge every night now."
A 19-year-old Indianapolis man has been charged with killing three people over four days, and authorities say he was inspired by the horror movie "The Purge."
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Re: The Purge
All I needed to see was the guy's mugshot leading that article. He needs to be purged.
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell