Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Fixing indentation
Changed line(s) 31,33 (click to see context) from:
* SpiritualAdaptation:
** The franchise can be taken as this for the Rockstar game, ''VideoGame/{{Manhunt}}'', as both are about people fighting for their lives in settings where crime is ignored against factions of masked killers.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The general consensus is that an intriguing concept (all crime is legal for twelve hours as a way to create social order) is barely explored, and the plot is a basic [[ProtectThisHouse Home Invasion]] thriller with The Purge being just a contextual excuse as to why the family can't call the cops. You get some glimpses into the Purge at large through very brief news reports. For example, as many as 200 people are reported to have engaged in a mass free-for-all purging in their town centre.
** The franchise can be taken as this for the Rockstar game, ''VideoGame/{{Manhunt}}'', as both are about people fighting for their lives in settings where crime is ignored against factions of masked killers.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The general consensus is that an intriguing concept (all crime is legal for twelve hours as a way to create social order) is barely explored, and the plot is a basic [[ProtectThisHouse Home Invasion]] thriller with The Purge being just a contextual excuse as to why the family can't call the cops. You get some glimpses into the Purge at large through very brief news reports. For example, as many as 200 people are reported to have engaged in a mass free-for-all purging in their town centre.
to:
* SpiritualAdaptation:
**SpiritualAdaptation: The franchise can be taken as this for the Rockstar game, ''VideoGame/{{Manhunt}}'', as both are about people fighting for their lives in settings where crime is ignored against factions of masked killers.
*TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
** The general consensus is that an intriguing concept (all crime is legal for twelve hours as a way to create social order) is barely explored, and the plot is a basic [[ProtectThisHouse Home Invasion]] thriller with The Purge being just a contextual excuse as to why the family can't call the cops. You get some glimpses into the Purge at large through very brief news reports. For example, as many as 200 people are reported to have engaged in a mass free-for-all purging in their town centre.
**
*
** The general consensus is that an intriguing concept (all crime is legal for twelve hours as a way to create social order) is barely explored, and the plot is a basic [[ProtectThisHouse Home Invasion]] thriller with The Purge being just a contextual excuse as to why the family can't call the cops. You get some glimpses into the Purge at large through very brief news reports. For example, as many as 200 people are reported to have engaged in a mass free-for-all purging in their town centre.
Changed line(s) 35 (click to see context) from:
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The Sandins as a whole, given how [=CinemaSins=] points out that the first good thing they do halfway through the movie feels ''completely unearned'', but with special attention given to the kids Charlie and Zoey.
to:
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: UnintentionallyUnsympathetic:
** The Sandins as a whole, given how [=CinemaSins=] points out that the first good thing they do halfway through the movie feels ''completely unearned'', but with special attention given to the kids Charlie and Zoey.
** The Sandins as a whole, given how [=CinemaSins=] points out that the first good thing they do halfway through the movie feels ''completely unearned'', but with special attention given to the kids Charlie and Zoey.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Natter
Deleted line(s) 21 (click to see context) :
** On a less serious level, people online have put in their own speculations about how they would avoid getting killed in the Purge, and many of their ideas involve having access to money, skills, or connections that the average person would not have access to, especially if, as subsequent movies will make clearer, [[spoiler: they are from the demographic that the New Founding Fathers aim to kill.]] Though some of those speculations may be derived as thought experiments rather than serious plans of what they would do if they were to find themselves in this situation, but the ones that are sincere about their contingency plans invoke the same notion of invincibility as the ones who think it would be fun to participate in The Purge.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments
** Charlie [[spoiler:letting the stranger inside the house]] could be counted as one. While coming off as a CreepyChild, the fact of the matter is he saw someone afraid and in need of help and reached out to them.
*** Add on the fact that even though [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished it all went bad for them]], [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe it also saves them in the end]].
** Minor example. In the end of the film [[spoiler:after The Purge has finished]], Mary asked [[spoiler:the homeless man if he will be okay]]. The man nods, Mary thanks him, and the man leaves the Sandin house.
*** Considering the man has [[spoiler:saved Mary and her children's lives in the nick of time]], it is understandable. Also, [[spoiler:the man]] more or less considers the family as his savior, for not only [[spoiler:allowing him to hide in the house (well, at least Charlie shows him his secret hideout at one point)]] but also [[spoiler:Zoey killing the gang's leader who tried to kill the homeless man]].
** Charlie [[spoiler:letting the stranger inside the house]] could be counted as one. While coming off as a CreepyChild, the fact of the matter is he saw someone afraid and in need of help and reached out to them.
*** Add on the fact that even though [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished it all went bad for them]], [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe it also saves them in the end]].
** Minor example. In the end of the film [[spoiler:after The Purge has finished]], Mary asked [[spoiler:the homeless man if he will be okay]]. The man nods, Mary thanks him, and the man leaves the Sandin house.
*** Considering the man has [[spoiler:saved Mary and her children's lives in the nick of time]], it is understandable. Also, [[spoiler:the man]] more or less considers the family as his savior, for not only [[spoiler:allowing him to hide in the house (well, at least Charlie shows him his secret hideout at one point)]] but also [[spoiler:Zoey killing the gang's leader who tried to kill the homeless man]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 16 (click to see context) from:
** On a less serious level, people online have put in their own speculations about how they would avoid getting killed in the Purge, and many of their ideas involve having access to money, skills, or connections that the average person would not have access to, especially if [[spoiler: they are from the demographic that the New Founding Fathers aim to kill.]] Though some of those speculations may be derived as thought experiments rather than serious plans of what they would do if they were to find themselves in this situation, but the ones that are sincere about their contingency plans invoke the same notion of invincibility as the ones who think it would be fun to participate in The Purge.
to:
** On a less serious level, people online have put in their own speculations about how they would avoid getting killed in the Purge, and many of their ideas involve having access to money, skills, or connections that the average person would not have access to, especially if if, as subsequent movies will make clearer, [[spoiler: they are from the demographic that the New Founding Fathers aim to kill.]] Though some of those speculations may be derived as thought experiments rather than serious plans of what they would do if they were to find themselves in this situation, but the ones that are sincere about their contingency plans invoke the same notion of invincibility as the ones who think it would be fun to participate in The Purge.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 16 (click to see context) from:
** On a less serious level, people online have put in their own speculations about how they would avoid getting killed in the Purge, and many of their ideas involve having access to money, skills, or connections that the average person would not have access to, especially if they are from the demographic that the New Founding Fathers aim to kill. Though some of those speculations may be derived as thought experiments rather than serious plans of what they would do if they were to find themselves in this situation, but the ones that are sincere about their contingency plans invoke the same notion of invincibility as the ones who think it would be fun to participate in The Purge.
to:
** On a less serious level, people online have put in their own speculations about how they would avoid getting killed in the Purge, and many of their ideas involve having access to money, skills, or connections that the average person would not have access to, especially if [[spoiler: they are from the demographic that the New Founding Fathers aim to kill. kill.]] Though some of those speculations may be derived as thought experiments rather than serious plans of what they would do if they were to find themselves in this situation, but the ones that are sincere about their contingency plans invoke the same notion of invincibility as the ones who think it would be fun to participate in The Purge.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** On a less serious level, people online have put in their own speculations about how they would avoid getting killed in the Purge, and many of their ideas involve having access to money, skills, or connections that the average person would not have access to, especially if they are from the demographic that the New Founding Fathers aim to kill. Though some of those speculations may be derived as thought experiments rather than serious plans of what they would do if they were to find themselves in this situation, but the ones that are sincere about their contingency plans invoke the same notion of invincibility as the ones who think it would be fun to participate in The Purge.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
TRS
and just delete non examples.
and just delete non examples.Deleted line(s) 3 (click to see context) :
%%(Administrivia/NotASubversion, but an aversion that belongs in a different trope entirely).
Changed line(s) 6,9 (click to see context) from:
%%Not an example, because he is a major character, while an Ensemble Darkhorse is a minor character. Please find other trope to place this in.)
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** The [[BigBad "Polite Stranger"]], played by Rhys Wakefield, was widely regarded to be the most enjoyable character to watch in the entire film, due to his [[LargeHam over-the-top and polite attitude]], and 95% of his dialogue is pure, unadulterated NarmCharm combined with his surprisingly large amount of screentime. As a result, many people feel disappointed when [[spoiler:the neighbours turn out to be the real final villains]].
** The homeless dude earns a lot of points by [[spoiler: saving the family from the deranged neighbors. Many people wanted the surviving Sandins to let him stay in their house]].
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** The [[BigBad "Polite Stranger"]], played by Rhys Wakefield, was widely regarded to be the most enjoyable character to watch in the entire film, due to his [[LargeHam over-the-top and polite attitude]], and 95% of his dialogue is pure, unadulterated NarmCharm combined with his surprisingly large amount of screentime. As a result, many people feel disappointed when [[spoiler:the neighbours turn out to be the real final villains]].
** The homeless dude earns a lot of points by [[spoiler: saving the family from the deranged neighbors. Many people wanted the surviving Sandins to let him stay in their house]].
to:
** The [[BigBad "Polite Stranger"]], played by Rhys Wakefield, was widely regarded to be the most enjoyable character to watch in the entire film, due to his [[LargeHam over-the-top and polite attitude]], and 95% of his dialogue is pure, unadulterated NarmCharm combined with his surprisingly large amount of screentime. As a result, many people feel disappointed when [[spoiler:the neighbours turn out to be the real final villains]].
**
Deleted line(s) 15 (click to see context) :
* MarySuetopia: Of a dystopian kind. Taking the DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything entry on the main page into account, the new America seems to be a strawman version of what the filmmakers thought conservatives and libertarians would like to turn the country into.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Irrelevant to this.
Deleted line(s) 3 (click to see context) :
** Borders on SpaceWhaleAesop, since the Purge is meant to be representative of current health care debates, somehow. [[InsaneTrollLogic Uhh... okay.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 36 (click to see context) from:
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The Sandins as a whole, given how [=CinemaSins=] points out that the first good thing they do halfway through the movie feels ''completely uneared'', but with special attention given to the kids Charlie and Zoey.
to:
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The Sandins as a whole, given how [=CinemaSins=] points out that the first good thing they do halfway through the movie feels ''completely uneared'', unearned'', but with special attention given to the kids Charlie and Zoey.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Uncanny Valley is IUEO now and the subjective version has been split; cleaning up misuse and ZCE in the process
Changed line(s) 39 (click to see context) from:
* UncannyValley:
to:
* UncannyValley:UnintentionalUncannyValley:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* FanNickname: Due to an {{accidental misnaming}} by WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic, the Polite Leader is often called "Henry" by both fans and detractors.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Moved from main YMMV page
Added DiffLines:
* BrokenBase: Very unusual that it applied to the FIRST entry in a series, but some viewers hated this film for not exploring its premise, while others think it did what it could with the budget it had during production and was fine leaving room for the sequels to expand upon that.
* CaptainObviousAesop: Something like the Purge in real life would be a bad thing. Uh, thanks for that.
** Borders on SpaceWhaleAesop, since the Purge is meant to be representative of current health care debates, somehow. [[InsaneTrollLogic Uhh... okay.]]
%%(Administrivia/NotASubversion, but an aversion that belongs in a different trope entirely).
* CriticalDissonance: While the film made money, at one point having the highest opening weekend for an original R-rated horror movie, [[note]] until ''Film/TheConjuring'' came a few weeks later [[/note]] both audiences and critics were left feeling like they were part of a BaitAndSwitch, with the mutual opinion that [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot an interesting premise was squandered on a mediocre home invasion movie.]] However, [[Film/ThePurgeAnarchy the next film]] is regarded as a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel.
* CriticProof: Critics lambasted the film for being a ClicheStorm filled with cheap scares and social commentary that is never fully developed. It still opened at #1 and recouped its cheap budget many times over.
%%Not an example, because he is a major character, while an Ensemble Darkhorse is a minor character. Please find other trope to place this in.)
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** The [[BigBad "Polite Stranger"]], played by Rhys Wakefield, was widely regarded to be the most enjoyable character to watch in the entire film, due to his [[LargeHam over-the-top and polite attitude]], and 95% of his dialogue is pure, unadulterated NarmCharm combined with his surprisingly large amount of screentime. As a result, many people feel disappointed when [[spoiler:the neighbours turn out to be the real final villains]].
** The homeless dude earns a lot of points by [[spoiler: saving the family from the deranged neighbors. Many people wanted the surviving Sandins to let him stay in their house]].
* HarsherInHindsight: When initially and desperately holding their daughter at gunpoint, the Stranger tells the Sandins that he doesn't want to die, then comes one of the sequels ''Film/ThePurgeElectionYear'', [[spoiler:where at the end the Stranger would commit a HeroicSacrifice]].
%%* HilariousInHindsight: The idea of there being a time of the year when murder is legalized for society's benefit originated decades earlier in a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9dD6wNFBYU scene]] from [[Creator/AlfredHitchcock Alfred Hitchcock's]] ''Theatre/{{Rope}}''.
%%** The episode of WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls called "Bought and Scold" predated this movie.
%% How does this movie make these previous events funny?
* MarySuetopia: Of a dystopian kind. Taking the DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything entry on the main page into account, the new America seems to be a strawman version of what the filmmakers thought conservatives and libertarians would like to turn the country into.
* MemeticMutation:
** The film's blanket answer to any of the logic holes in its premise: "The Purge just works." [[spoiler:Then comes the sequel, where it's revealed the Purge ''doesn't'' work.]]
** There are those who argued that if there was a Purge in real life, most people would just commit petty crimes like smoking marijuana, looting grocery stores, and running unlicensed lemonade stands.
*** Related to that, there are plenty of videos and text posts online in which Purge Night is announced, followed by someone pulling either [[PokeThePoodle a petty prank or a minor yet still illegal offense.]]
* MisaimedFandom: It's very common to see a lot of people that argued for the Purge as a ''serious'' political idea. Aside from the issues with the [[KillThePoor ideology behind it]], it's been shown in the films that a Purge wouldn't work as [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome most people wouldn't kill even if they could get away with it]] and there are numerous other problems with such an idea. Generally people who argued for it were apparently under the [[OriginalPositionFallacy impression that they themselves won't be murdered]] and would be able to do what they want.
* MoralEventHorizon: Everyone that tried to killed the Sandins has crossed this at one time or another.
* {{Narm}}:
** There's something darkly amusing about how Zoe walks downstairs just in time to see her boyfriend start shooting at her dad, her mom and her little brother, and when he gets his crazy ass shot instead she's way more concerned about the attempted murderer than the rest of her family. Girl, those are some hilariously ''awful'' SkewedPriorities.
** EVERY moment "Polite Stranger" appears, from his cheesy gleeful grinning every time he makes a threat to the Sandins to [[spoiler:him kissing James's forehead after stabbing him]]. This "trying-way-too-hard-to-be-scary" attitude, depending on how seriously you're taking the movie, can either be annoying or hilarious and endearing.
** The sheer number of times a villain is killed by someone showing up behind them and pumping them full of lead just as they're about to kill one of the family members.
** The amount of times one of the Sandins runs off to another part of the house, causing the remaining family members to split up again to find them.
** One of the deranged, murderous neighbors (Grace) makes a pathetic last ditch effort to kill the family in the Purge's final seconds, which promptly gets her ass beat down by the family's matriarch (Mary is so done with everything Purge-related at this point). It seriously makes you wonder just why they want to kill them so much.
* ParanoiaFuel: If there is one thing to take away from the film, it's the idea that your neighbors, who seem all friendly and smiles, will likely try to shoot you if the opportunity presented itself for the most petty of reasons. This basically indicates virtually no one is safe in this society once Purge Night commences as people can and will act on their primal instincts if given the chance and trust is a very rare thing.
* RootingForTheEmpire: Some people liked the Polite Stranger.
* TheScrappy: Charlie and Zoe, both for defining the term TooDumbToLive. Every action they take makes things worse and in Charlie's case, [[spoiler:it gets his father killed.]]
* SpiritualAdaptation:
** The franchise can be taken as this for the Rockstar game, ''VideoGame/{{Manhunt}}'', as both are about people fighting for their lives in settings where crime is ignored against factions of masked killers.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The general consensus is that an intriguing concept (all crime is legal for twelve hours as a way to create social order) is barely explored, and the plot is a basic [[ProtectThisHouse Home Invasion]] thriller with The Purge being just a contextual excuse as to why the family can't call the cops. You get some glimpses into the Purge at large through very brief news reports. For example, as many as 200 people are reported to have engaged in a mass free-for-all purging in their town centre.
** This led to a huge ReTool for the franchise starting with the second film, due to fan complaints about how the first film was way too small scale and basically a generic home invasion film with the "Crime is Legal for 12 Hours" angle slapped onto it as an afterthought. Every film since ''Purge: Anarchy'' is set in a major city, with full detail shown towards citizens in the background doing all sorts of violent and depraved things, and deconstructing the entire premise of why legalizing crime for one night doesn't work and how it's a cover for eugenic-style mass murder of the poor.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The Sandins as a whole, given how [=CinemaSins=] points out that the first good thing they do halfway through the movie feels ''completely uneared'', but with special attention given to the kids Charlie and Zoey.
** We're supposed to sympathize with Charlie for wanting to save an innocent homeless man, but his "selfless" actions go waaaaayyyy beyond just being a nice kid, to the point where he seems to care about saving a stranger more than ''his own family'' at times. He seems more like a selfish little asshole more concerned with staying on his moral high horse then keeping his family alive.
** Zoey is supposed to be a little dumb but she's also still supposed to be one of the protagonists. Then she goes sides with and cares more about ''saving her boyfriend'' after he just tried to murder her father than checking on her own family and making sure they're alright. Worse yet, she continues to run off and hide in a petulant fit because [[spoiler: Henry dies]] despite the fact she's in real danger from the group trying to get into the house.
* UncannyValley:
** The gang is wearing masks that resemble human faces, but the masks invoke a feeling of wrongness to them. The poster itself presents what looks like a horrifying SlasherSmile.
** Outside of the masks, the one neighbor who looks to have a botox-paralyzed face is pretty inhuman-looking on her own.
* ViewerNameConfusion: Thanks to WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of the movie, some people believe the purger Rhys Wakefield plays is named Henry. [[NoNameGiven This character's name is never given]], as he's simply credited as "Polite Purge Leader"; Henry is actually the name of Zoey's boyfriend.
* CaptainObviousAesop: Something like the Purge in real life would be a bad thing. Uh, thanks for that.
** Borders on SpaceWhaleAesop, since the Purge is meant to be representative of current health care debates, somehow. [[InsaneTrollLogic Uhh... okay.]]
%%(Administrivia/NotASubversion, but an aversion that belongs in a different trope entirely).
* CriticalDissonance: While the film made money, at one point having the highest opening weekend for an original R-rated horror movie, [[note]] until ''Film/TheConjuring'' came a few weeks later [[/note]] both audiences and critics were left feeling like they were part of a BaitAndSwitch, with the mutual opinion that [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot an interesting premise was squandered on a mediocre home invasion movie.]] However, [[Film/ThePurgeAnarchy the next film]] is regarded as a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel.
* CriticProof: Critics lambasted the film for being a ClicheStorm filled with cheap scares and social commentary that is never fully developed. It still opened at #1 and recouped its cheap budget many times over.
%%Not an example, because he is a major character, while an Ensemble Darkhorse is a minor character. Please find other trope to place this in.)
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** The [[BigBad "Polite Stranger"]], played by Rhys Wakefield, was widely regarded to be the most enjoyable character to watch in the entire film, due to his [[LargeHam over-the-top and polite attitude]], and 95% of his dialogue is pure, unadulterated NarmCharm combined with his surprisingly large amount of screentime. As a result, many people feel disappointed when [[spoiler:the neighbours turn out to be the real final villains]].
** The homeless dude earns a lot of points by [[spoiler: saving the family from the deranged neighbors. Many people wanted the surviving Sandins to let him stay in their house]].
* HarsherInHindsight: When initially and desperately holding their daughter at gunpoint, the Stranger tells the Sandins that he doesn't want to die, then comes one of the sequels ''Film/ThePurgeElectionYear'', [[spoiler:where at the end the Stranger would commit a HeroicSacrifice]].
%%* HilariousInHindsight: The idea of there being a time of the year when murder is legalized for society's benefit originated decades earlier in a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9dD6wNFBYU scene]] from [[Creator/AlfredHitchcock Alfred Hitchcock's]] ''Theatre/{{Rope}}''.
%%** The episode of WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls called "Bought and Scold" predated this movie.
%% How does this movie make these previous events funny?
* MarySuetopia: Of a dystopian kind. Taking the DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything entry on the main page into account, the new America seems to be a strawman version of what the filmmakers thought conservatives and libertarians would like to turn the country into.
* MemeticMutation:
** The film's blanket answer to any of the logic holes in its premise: "The Purge just works." [[spoiler:Then comes the sequel, where it's revealed the Purge ''doesn't'' work.]]
** There are those who argued that if there was a Purge in real life, most people would just commit petty crimes like smoking marijuana, looting grocery stores, and running unlicensed lemonade stands.
*** Related to that, there are plenty of videos and text posts online in which Purge Night is announced, followed by someone pulling either [[PokeThePoodle a petty prank or a minor yet still illegal offense.]]
* MisaimedFandom: It's very common to see a lot of people that argued for the Purge as a ''serious'' political idea. Aside from the issues with the [[KillThePoor ideology behind it]], it's been shown in the films that a Purge wouldn't work as [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome most people wouldn't kill even if they could get away with it]] and there are numerous other problems with such an idea. Generally people who argued for it were apparently under the [[OriginalPositionFallacy impression that they themselves won't be murdered]] and would be able to do what they want.
* MoralEventHorizon: Everyone that tried to killed the Sandins has crossed this at one time or another.
* {{Narm}}:
** There's something darkly amusing about how Zoe walks downstairs just in time to see her boyfriend start shooting at her dad, her mom and her little brother, and when he gets his crazy ass shot instead she's way more concerned about the attempted murderer than the rest of her family. Girl, those are some hilariously ''awful'' SkewedPriorities.
** EVERY moment "Polite Stranger" appears, from his cheesy gleeful grinning every time he makes a threat to the Sandins to [[spoiler:him kissing James's forehead after stabbing him]]. This "trying-way-too-hard-to-be-scary" attitude, depending on how seriously you're taking the movie, can either be annoying or hilarious and endearing.
** The sheer number of times a villain is killed by someone showing up behind them and pumping them full of lead just as they're about to kill one of the family members.
** The amount of times one of the Sandins runs off to another part of the house, causing the remaining family members to split up again to find them.
** One of the deranged, murderous neighbors (Grace) makes a pathetic last ditch effort to kill the family in the Purge's final seconds, which promptly gets her ass beat down by the family's matriarch (Mary is so done with everything Purge-related at this point). It seriously makes you wonder just why they want to kill them so much.
* ParanoiaFuel: If there is one thing to take away from the film, it's the idea that your neighbors, who seem all friendly and smiles, will likely try to shoot you if the opportunity presented itself for the most petty of reasons. This basically indicates virtually no one is safe in this society once Purge Night commences as people can and will act on their primal instincts if given the chance and trust is a very rare thing.
* RootingForTheEmpire: Some people liked the Polite Stranger.
* TheScrappy: Charlie and Zoe, both for defining the term TooDumbToLive. Every action they take makes things worse and in Charlie's case, [[spoiler:it gets his father killed.]]
* SpiritualAdaptation:
** The franchise can be taken as this for the Rockstar game, ''VideoGame/{{Manhunt}}'', as both are about people fighting for their lives in settings where crime is ignored against factions of masked killers.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The general consensus is that an intriguing concept (all crime is legal for twelve hours as a way to create social order) is barely explored, and the plot is a basic [[ProtectThisHouse Home Invasion]] thriller with The Purge being just a contextual excuse as to why the family can't call the cops. You get some glimpses into the Purge at large through very brief news reports. For example, as many as 200 people are reported to have engaged in a mass free-for-all purging in their town centre.
** This led to a huge ReTool for the franchise starting with the second film, due to fan complaints about how the first film was way too small scale and basically a generic home invasion film with the "Crime is Legal for 12 Hours" angle slapped onto it as an afterthought. Every film since ''Purge: Anarchy'' is set in a major city, with full detail shown towards citizens in the background doing all sorts of violent and depraved things, and deconstructing the entire premise of why legalizing crime for one night doesn't work and how it's a cover for eugenic-style mass murder of the poor.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: The Sandins as a whole, given how [=CinemaSins=] points out that the first good thing they do halfway through the movie feels ''completely uneared'', but with special attention given to the kids Charlie and Zoey.
** We're supposed to sympathize with Charlie for wanting to save an innocent homeless man, but his "selfless" actions go waaaaayyyy beyond just being a nice kid, to the point where he seems to care about saving a stranger more than ''his own family'' at times. He seems more like a selfish little asshole more concerned with staying on his moral high horse then keeping his family alive.
** Zoey is supposed to be a little dumb but she's also still supposed to be one of the protagonists. Then she goes sides with and cares more about ''saving her boyfriend'' after he just tried to murder her father than checking on her own family and making sure they're alright. Worse yet, she continues to run off and hide in a petulant fit because [[spoiler: Henry dies]] despite the fact she's in real danger from the group trying to get into the house.
* UncannyValley:
** The gang is wearing masks that resemble human faces, but the masks invoke a feeling of wrongness to them. The poster itself presents what looks like a horrifying SlasherSmile.
** Outside of the masks, the one neighbor who looks to have a botox-paralyzed face is pretty inhuman-looking on her own.
* ViewerNameConfusion: Thanks to WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic's review of the movie, some people believe the purger Rhys Wakefield plays is named Henry. [[NoNameGiven This character's name is never given]], as he's simply credited as "Polite Purge Leader"; Henry is actually the name of Zoey's boyfriend.
