The Movie: Set in the year 2022, the United States is a nation reborn with crime and unemployment at an all-time low. The ugly reality of the low crime and unemployment rates are due to the government mandated annual 12-hour long Purge where all criminal activity becomes legal. Even murder, theft, and rape are legal during this time. All emergency services shut down, and people are free to roam the streets killing whoever they want. The Scenery-Chewing Performance: Rhys Wakefield plays the head of a polite, college-educated murderous pack of 20-somethings out for blood. His villainous character is loathsome and chilling, with an utter disregard for human life, while constantly referring to his desired target as an animal to be slaughtered. Wakefield's performance is nearly as over-the-top as his ridiculously on-the-nose "we don't want to hurt the haves, just the have nots, but we will if we must" speech midway through the film. He is brimming with insanity, often giggles mid mustache twirling villainy speech, and sort of looks like an inbreed mad king of days gone past. The rest of the cast is fine, but it's Wakefield's performance that everyone undoubtedly remembers most.
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
