alcantaraj-16594 1ST VIEWING - RATING: 3/10 stars HEADLINE: GREAT CONCEPT TRAPPED INSIDE A BORING MOVIEWhen I heard about "The Purge: Election Year" in 2016, I thought that the concept of crimes being legal for a night were MEANT TO BE A GREAT MOVIE. Then, I found out that its the third film in a series. That's when I decided to watch "The Purge." I saw no ads, read no articles/reviews. However, my expectations were very high. Then, I saw the movie. IT WAS AWFUL! Why did they turn the concept into a home invasion movie? The first act was fantastic but the moment it turned into a home invasion movie made the movie really bad, especially when STUPID CHARACTERS MADE STUPID DECISIONS. The acting was pretty good, though (especially the actor who portrays the leader of those who purge.)2ND VIEWING - RATING: 5/10 stars HEADLINE: SLIGHTLY BETTER THE SECOND TIME AROUNDNow that I know what's coming. "The Purge" actually turned into a decent flick. The second act was not that bad. However, the characters' stupid decisions were still STUPID!

fullheadofsteam The concept for the main movies solid. The actual production quality is solid. The actors chosen for this film are solid. So, then, why do such "solid" foundations ultimately crumble? Simply because of a seriously flawed script and screenplay. Lighting, camera angles, set, all are just fine, as are the characters feeding into the thrill-eager audience, when what happens? Stupidity, pure and simple. A father in close range pointing his pistol at the head of an intruder holding the father's daughter at gunpoint can't or won't or doesn't pull the trigger? The father's wife, daughter's mom sneakily hidden with a gun behind the daughter's assailant and with a clear shot doesn't pull the trigger?? But after subduing the daughter's assailant, the girl's parents can't cooperate on what to do next, but in deciding to turn the guy over to predators the father must, in addition to duct taping the guy, instead of simply dragging the guy out by his collar to the bad guys, instead insists on further taping the guy to a chair before moving him? And afterwards the guy somehow and totally inexplicably slips out of the tight duct-taped mouth so he can again talk to the father who's family he has jeopardized? This does not even begin to explain why the youngest kid in the family is nothing more than an ambivalent jerk. Love the concept, love the killing, love the looks of the film ad Ethan Hawk, just cannot believe how it all goes down!

tterifajova I remember seeing a screen of this movie years ago and I was strongly intrigued. The idea itself is pretty intriguing, when you do forget the plotholes - at least for myself I find the situation when after a twelve hours of going berserk you become once again a lovely neighbour. Though you'd have to be a really disciplined one to hold the act for 364 days... And also petty.But after less than an hour of watching, the movie got predictable. You don't have to be a mastermind to figure the daughter will be used as a hostage when both of them are roaming around the house and the Homeless Stranger wants to survive. Man, it was Charlie's fault in the first place! What ten-year-old supposed genius let's in a stranger during the most horrible night in the country?! Morally, I would. But open the house without permission or conciousness of my parents? What if someone was lurking around and got to our house first? I dunno. Why I gave three stars? Those. Masks. Are. Beautiful. In my honest opinion. They are what got me to want to watch it. The scenes of the Purgators who are playing in the yard and whe they first break into the house, as stand-alone scenes they could be rated higher. I find them mesmerising. Then it is a domestic horror, they just hunt each other down in the house that is SO DARN BIG. And they are so darn bad at being cautious. Charlie, for life's sake, when you are hiding in the basement, and you are HIDING, put some mind into it and do not fence around with that flashlight. And thank goodness there are the neighbours. Though once they kill the Massacre group, you see they are the next killers. Haha, were you surprised? we got look at fancy american households that had protective membrane around them. why cannot you film how it looks like in lower class households who are vulnerable to any psycho eve when they are innocent? Too bad James died though. If I had to choose, he was the one who got on my nerves the least.

oviakpojotor If anyone's written a screenplay one of the main pieces of advice to beginners is "characters dictate plot, not the other way round". This film gives hope to anyone that almost any film can get made, as it was clearly written by an amateur. The characters are one dimensional and are created entirely for plot purposes...as anyone can expect the film comes across as contrived, irrational and just plain stupid.As others have said, the premise makes no sense. Why make ALL crime legal once a year? The film only explores murder and doesn't explore anything else so every other crime is a moot point. How does making all crime legal once a year correlate to a reduction in crime or help the economy? Why does making all crime legal result in everyone becoming psychopaths apart from the family in this film? Why doesn't anyone just go on vacation? What happens to people in hospitals or need medical assistance for unrelated "purge" reasons? All the "twists"were obvious and very predictable.The other problems other reviewers have already mentioned.and.....----------------------SPOILER---------------------Does Ethan Hawkes character die because was the last to come around to not handing the homeless guy over? Or is it just easier to kill off a man protecting his family than a woman? Double standards.