The Purge

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The Purge

R

2013

1h 25m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

41%

Tomatometer

155 Reviews

36%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In an America ravaged by crime and overcrowded prisons, the government sanctions an annual 12-hour period during which all criminal activity -- including murder -- is legal. James Sandin and his family face the ultimate test when an intruder drags the vicious outside world into their home. James, Mary and their two children struggle to survive the night while trying not to turn into monsters like the ones they are striving to avoid.

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Critics Consensus

Half social allegory, half home-invasion thriller, The Purge attempts to make an intelligent point, but ultimately devolves into numbing violence and tired clichés.

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Sarah Marshall

Bitch Media

Feb 11, 2021

For all its willingness to serve the viewer generous dollops of violence, noise, and terror, The Purge is oddly lacking in energy.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Sep 7, 2017

C+

... though the film struggles to flesh out this rather Dystopian concept (something nearly every futuristic film has these days), it succeeds in its gripping suspense and romantic eye for violence.

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

Sep 5, 2017

3/5

An entertaining and deeply unsettling premonition of the state the US's obsession with guns may leave it in.

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JD Duran

InSession Film

Aug 20, 2024

C+

The big thing with this film is the same thing with every film in this genre; it's extremely predictable and the characters do things they would never do in real life.

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Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 20, 2023

2/5

Introduces an entirely fresh and interesting premise and universe, only to completely squander that potential with a generic home-invasion thriller.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Sep 6, 2022

1.5/4

Whereas DeMonaco tries to say something is deeply wrong with a society that needs to purge its violent impulses, it’s unsettling to sit in a crowd that completely misses the point.

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Anthony

Mar 31, 2024

Perhaps in 2013, it was a good movie but watching it with today's standards, this movie felt like it didn't have the same edge to it.

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Joshua G

@RT04005968 1 day ago

After 13years I rewatched wondering if my 17 year old self reviewed it too harshly. Nope, I knew it was crap then too. I hate everyone in this movie. The weird school shooter son who seems to be growing into a withering old man before our eyes. The 30 year old school girl cuddling her dead (tried to kill her own dad) boyfriend. Even Ethan Hawke and Cerci P***** me off. So so so dumb!

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Mary E

@bbrokeback9 5 days ago

ok so....the comcept is so awsome but THEY PORTRAYED IT LIKE ASS. Why do the neighbors wanna kill the entire family??! WHY IS THE FAMILY SO STUPID??? I bet I could make a better purge movie

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Ernest James B

@RT26246479 Sep 26, 2026

I'd never seen the purge, but its spooky season in 2026 and I'd thought I'd give this movie a try because I know its spawned a bunch of movies. This movie is terrible. Its one of the worst suspense movies, its paint by numbers and often loses itself trying to hit suspense cliches, even using the same ones multiple times to lessened effect. The movie is slow without any real pay off, not even any jump scares because its so obvious what is about to happen. The real villains of the movie were his kids and how stupid they are, because everything was avoidable and it was all their fault. I watched this movie in frustration at the idiotic choices continually made. The only good thing to come out of this movie was the concept of the purge.

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Robbie A

@RT47868640 Sep 25, 2026

This movie was so good, it mixed horror and suspense so well. There was a scene that was kind of hard to watch because of how disturbing it was but that does not take away from the fact that this movie was phenomenal. I would 100% watch it again.

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B P

@Bradster69 Sep 14, 2026

Not Bad, but Not My Favorite

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James DeMonaco

Director

Ethan Hawke

James Sandin

Lena Headey

Mary Sandin

Adelaide Kane

Zoey Sandin

Max Burkholder

Charlie Sandin

Edwin Hodge

Bloody Stranger

The Purge: Official Clip - Home Invasion

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The Purge: Official Clip - James Fights Back

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The Purge: Official Clip - Time for Lockdown

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The Purge: Official Clip - I'd Like to Have a Word

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The Purge: Official Clip - No More Killing Tonight

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The Purge: Official Clip - Thank You for Your Sacrifice

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The Purge: Official Clip - Please Just Let Us Purge

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The Purge: Official Clip - No One Was Helping

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The Purge: Official Clip - You Are Going to Die Tonight

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The Purge: Official Clip - The Freaks Are Coming In

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Synopsis

In an America ravaged by crime and overcrowded prisons, the government sanctions an annual 12-hour period during which all criminal activity -- including murder -- is legal. James Sandin and his family face the ultimate test when an intruder drags the vicious outside world into their home. James, Mary and their two children struggle to survive the night while trying not to turn into monsters like the ones they are striving to avoid.

Director: James DeMonaco
Producer: Jason Blum, Sebastien K. Lemercier, Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller
Screenwriter: James DeMonaco
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Platinum Dunes, Blumhouse, Why Not Productions
Rating: R (Strong Disturbing Violence|Some Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 7, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 24, 2013
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby SRD, DTS

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