The Purge

The Purge

movie

2013

WISE
32%

WISE Score

41

Avg. Tomatometer

A high-concept home invasion thriller where the law takes a 12-hour nap and the neighbors come out to play.

RT Critics41%
Common Sense Media
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Screenwise Verdict

The Purge is the ultimate 'cool idea, okay execution' movie. It takes a massive, world-altering concept and shrinks it down into a standard home-invasion thriller. For parents, the biggest red flag isn't just the blood—it's the psychological dread of being hunted by the people who live next door.

If your teen is obsessed with the lore they've seen on TikTok or in later sequels, the original is a bit of a letdown in terms of scope, but it's still a culturally significant R-rated horror flick. Just don't expect a 'fun' family movie night; this one is designed to make you double-check your door locks.

Age Fit

This is strictly for the 16+ crowd. Between the R-rated violence and the heavy themes of neighborhood betrayal, it's way too intense for middle schoolers, even the ones who claim they like 'scary stuff.'

WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
10

The entire premise is built on the suspension of morality and legalized murder. It's a cynical, dark look at humanity that offers very little in the way of kindness or cooperation.

Imaginative
70

The central 'what if' is brilliant. The idea of a government sanctioning 12 hours of lawlessness is a massive high-concept hook that has stuck in the cultural zeitgeist for over a decade.

Safe
15

It's an R-rated home invasion thriller. Expect heavy violence, gore, jump scares, and the specific kind of psychological terror that comes from your neighbors trying to break into your house.

Enriching
35

There is a thin layer of social commentary about classism and wealth inequality, but it's mostly a vehicle for suspense and slasher tropes rather than deep ethical exploration.

Parent Info
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Why It Might Be Great

  • The central premise is undeniably catchy and serves as a great 'what would you do?' thought experiment for older teens.
  • Ethan Hawke carries the movie with a solid performance as a dad who realized his high-end security system isn't enough.
  • It's a gateway to social-critique horror, even if it doesn't hit the heights of later films like Get Out.
  • The tension building in the first half is genuinely effective before the chaos breaks loose.
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What to Watch For

  • The home invasion aspect is primal and terrifying; if your kid has anxiety about house safety, this will be a nightmare fuel factory.
  • Violence is brutal and personal—it's not cartoonish action, it's close-quarters stabbing and shooting.
  • The cynical ending doesn't offer much hope, which might be a downer for kids used to more heroic resolutions.

Conversation Starters

  • "If all crime were legal for 12 hours, do you think people would actually behave this way?"
  • "Why did the movie make the 'villains' wealthy, polite neighbors instead of random criminals?"
  • "The Sandin family built their wealth selling security systems for the Purge. Is that ethical?"
  • "What would a 'fair' version of this society look like, or is the whole concept fundamentally broken?"
Stills
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