The First Purge is an action horror film produced by Platinum Dunes and Blumhouse Productions. The film was the 4th installment in The Purge franchise (after The Purge (2013), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), and The Purge: Election Year (2016). It’s the first film not directed by James DeMonaco.
Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film was released on 4th July 2018. The film is directed by Gerard McMurray and features Y’lan Noel, Lex Scott Davis, Joivan Wade, Mugga, Lauren Velez, and Marisa Tomei as the main cast.
How to Stream or Download The First Purge
You can pre-order and stream or download the movie from iTunes. Before downloading be sure to watch the trailer to get an idea what the movie is like. iTunes offers HD quality, audio, and subtitles in several languages.
The Film Review
The First Purge is a film which is set around the mid-21st century as we get to see how the government is overthrown and is taken over by the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA). NFFA members Arlo Sabian and Dr. May Updale announce that they will be conducting a purging experiment on Staten Island for 12 hours. In addition, the NFFA offered the locals $5000 to stay and compensation for anyone who would lose a loved one.
Drug Lord Dmitri initially plans to leave but is forced to stay after one of his drug dealers, Capital A, decides to take part in the purge. Regardless, Dmitri is attacked and betrayed by Capital A but manages to survive. Meanwhile, another drug dealer named Isaiah encounters a drug addict and passionate purge participant, Skeletor.
Isaiah manages to escape and look for his sister Nya along with her friends, Dolores, Luisa, and Selina. In the midst of everything, Skeletor succeeds in capturing Nya and as soon as he is about to rape her, Isaiah stabs him in the back and the two manage to escape. It is revealed that the government of NFFA had also released mercenaries which were purposely killingly innocent civilians.
Dmitri and his gang try to fight off the mercenaries until the NFFA drones shoot and kill most of them. Dmitri manages to kill the remaining NFFA accomplices and is hailed a hero at the end. Dmitri states that it is time now for the remaining civilians to fight back.
The First Purge is one of those films which makes previous purge movies look like an understatement. McMurray, along with the film writers, portrays the near future where both humanity and economy have crashed, enabling extremists to come and take over the government.
The First Purge, being a prequel, was expected to have some sort of solid storyline which would portray how the whole massacre culture began but instead, it further lessens the drama. The film has been criticized for being racially biased by portraying all the heroes in the form of black men and giving the idea to viewers that all white men are the root of all evil. Added to this, the film also lacks action and adventure which could be seen in the original purge movie.
Overall, The First Purge is a film that portrays political satire combined with narrative and intense action. It has so far managed to hit up to $72.6 million. The movie, although harshly criticized, still holds that classic purge action and bloodshed which either internally scars people or unusually gives them a feeling of enjoyment. That, combined with the score composed by Kevin Lax, makes the movie worth a watch.
