The First Purge
WHO wouldn’t want a night of lawlessness without any incrimination, am I right? Jokes aside, The First Purge celebrates the birth of a new America in the worst way possible – 12 hours of social catharsis on Staten Island, New York.
The horror-thriller prequel directed by Gerard McMurray is the fourth film in the dystopian series, and is set in modern day America.
To push the crime rate below 1% for the rest of the year, the government decides to test out a sociological theory by Dr. May Updale (Marisa Tomei), that allows people to vent their aggression for one night.
The government offers the residents of Staten Island money to either stay in their homes during the experiment, or to participate for further rewards.
Hunky drug dealer Dimitri (Noel) seems sceptical about the purge, and stays in his hideout, while his former girlfriend, social activist Nya (Davis), Cast: Y’Lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis and Jovian Wade Director: Gerard McMurray E-Value: 5 Acting: 6 Plot: 5
takes the protest to the streets, and joins her friend Delores to wait out the purge in a church.
Her brother Isaiah (Wade) secretly joins the purge to get revenge on the psychotic gang leader Skeletor who attacked him a day before.
The purge starts off unexpectedly, against what Updale had predicted. A majority of the people across the island decide to throw boozy block parties. Updale questions herself on the legitimacy of the social experiment and the behaviour of the people, and why they aren’t murdering each other.
But when people eventually do give in to their baser instincts, the contagion explodes across the area, and takes a deadly turn.
The storyline of the film is nonetheless predictable, to say the least, and I suggest you give this one a pass to save yourself money and time.
Only one character really stood out among the cast. Dolores (played by Orange is the New Black actress Mugga) is a lovable badass who knows the neighbourhood inside out.
Her humorous yet sassy lines are the only thing that kept me from walking out of the movie.