The First Purge Review: 2 Ups & 7 Downs
Ups...
2. The Surprisingly Decent Performances
Though Frank Grillo's absence leaves a void that nobody in this film can fill, the performances of the central characters are at least rock solid if not genuinely good for the most part.
As gangster Dmitri, Y'Lan Noel brings a bada** swagger to the table that makes him an easy action hero to root for, while on the more pacifistic side, Lex Scott Davis is likeable as determined anti-Purge activist Nya.
Granted, you probably won't remember either of their names - nor anyone's else's, honestly - by the time the end credits roll, but at least the leads are lending more conviction to their parts than either of them really deserve.
In fact there aren't really any especially bad performances from the entire ensemble, and most of the principal characters sell the fear and terror of the night solidly enough. What a waste it all is, though.