'The Purge' Isn't As Dumb as You Remember
The Big Picture
- The success of The Purge lies in its meticulous worldbuilding and social commentary, portraying a dystopian America where class divisions are taken to extreme levels.
- The movie's predictability and focus on a personal scale make it even more unsettling, implying that families nationwide endure the same terrifying ordeal during Purge night.
- The Purge franchise remains relevant by addressing enduring societal fears and anxieties such as social inequality, political manipulation, moral dilemmas, fear of the unknown, and surveillance issues.
The Purge was one of the most hyped horror movies of 2013. It had a huge marketing campaign, using social media to differentiate itself during an especially crowded box-office season. The campaign was primarily based on the concept of the Purge — social media posts regularly asked viewers what they would do to survive. People were invested in the idea, helping the movie shoot up to first place at the box office on its opening weekend. While everyone ran to see it as fast as they could, the movie itself received mostly negative reviews. Despite its execution, the idea of the Purge itself is still amazing. There have been five total Purge movies and even a 2018 TV show based on the concept, proving its effectiveness at provoking thought in audiences.
What Makes 'The Purge' an American Nightmare?
The success of The Purge in conveying its social commentary lies in its meticulous worldbuilding. This setting is the end result of real-world class divisions being taken to their worst extremes. In this alternate America, the government has sanctioned 12 hours a year during which all crime is legal. No one is charged for their actions after the Purge is over, so there is zero fear of consequences. The only possible deterrents in this situation are the people themselves. Everyone is focused on their own personal gain, or in the protagonists' case, personal safety. Purge night has become the status quo by the time the movie begins. People talk about it casually, and the protagonist, James Sandin (played by Ethan Hawke) has created a career out of selling house security systems to prepare people for Purge night. The rich can easily buy their own safety beforehand — some of them hire bodyguards. In stark contrast, the less fortunate are left to fend for themselves amid the lawlessness. Lacking access to the same level of protection, they become the criminals' primary targets.
Critics may have decried The Purge for its seemingly predictable home invasion plot, but it is precisely this predictability that renders it even more unsettling. The movie's plot only took place on a personal scale — following a single group of people watching the world from within their home. But in the context of this dystopia, it implies families nationwide were enduring the exact same terrifying ordeal.
How Does 'The Purge' Comment on Class Divide?
The Purge's first act immediately establishes how this society works. Five minutes before the Purge begins, the Sandin family locks their house down using the same security system that James sells to his clients. They have gun-safe metal shutters that they pull down around the house, and tons of security cameras to see what's happening outside. After that, the now-famous government announcement plays on the family TV for the first time. It's also the first clue that the Purge doesn't really give people complete autonomy. Weapons of Class 4 and below have been authorized, while government officials of ranking 10 are rendered immune during Purge night. Weapons have been split into a class system, and even the government has its own ranking system to determine who stands above everyone else. Every single aspect of society has been divided and classified so that those at the top keep their unmatchable defensive and offensive powers.
There was an excessive amount of crime before the US government established an official solution, or at least something to contain it. On a surface level, the Purge is an excuse for people to release their pent-up rage. Since everyone knows they have an entire night to do whatever they want with zero fear of consequences, they have little to no motivation to do anything illegal the rest of the year. As the film goes on, though, we're shown the government's perspective — and it's revealed that the annual event was a calculated way to maintain social control and get rid of the "undesirables."
Why Has the Purge Franchise Remained Relevant?
The entire movie takes place in the Sandin house, watching the world safely from their cameras. The audience knows what's happening outside, but there's no immediate danger. David even notices his neighbors walking down the road with rifles, but all he says is, "I didn't know they were friends." Everything's fine until the youngest child Charlie (Max Burkholder) saves a stranger (Edwin Hodge) begging for help. In response, everyone around Charlie panics, and they begin scolding him for helping. Charlie's good deed doesn't go unpunished, because a while later a gang of people wearing masks show up on their doorstep. Led by Rhys Wakefield, this syndicate is holding the Sandin family hostage because they saved the stranger.
The leader of the group of Purgers admits that the neighbors told them where the homeless man went. Despite staying in a gated community, petty jealousy is all it takes to bring a group of murderers to their door. The leader has no problem with shooting his accomplices while negotiating from the doorbell camera. Despite working together, there's no real trust between anyone during the Purge. Even the Sandins' neighbors seen from the camera at the beginning of the movie might have turned on each other at some point. Predictably, the stranger that Charlie saved ends up protecting the Sandins in the end — it's the only true connection forged during those 12 hours, and it pays off.
The Purge laid the foundation for a franchise that has managed to stay relevant by tapping into enduring societal fears and anxieties. Its portrayal of social inequality, political manipulation, moral dilemmas, fear of the unknown, and surveillance issues continues to resonate with audiences today. By addressing these themes in a dystopian setting, the film invites viewers to reflect on the real-world challenges and issues that persist to this day. As long as these themes remain relevant in society, the idea of a Purge night will likely continue to captivate and provoke thought among its viewers.
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