The First Purge
Universal Pictures | Release Date: July 4, 2018
4.7
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 154 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
33
Mixed:
75
Negative:
46
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
3
TVJerryJul 10, 2018
The original movie in this series featured gripping action and a compelling concept: all crimes (including murder) are permitted one nite a year. The 2 sequels are pretty bad and this 3rd continues the slide in quality. It's set in the US,The original movie in this series featured gripping action and a compelling concept: all crimes (including murder) are permitted one nite a year. The 2 sequels are pretty bad and this 3rd continues the slide in quality. It's set in the US, where a new super-conservative party has come into power and announces the "experiment" to deal with growing national problems. This paranoid political premise drains even more life from the series. What I wrote in my review of the last one still applies: "Once again, the situations are absurd and the action is mostly dull and uninventive. Some of the auxiliary scenes are artistically shot or visually inventive, but that doesn’t elevate the quality. It’s not exciting. It’s not scary. It’s a disappointment." These films have just become an excuse for gratuitous violence.… Expand
8 of 8 users found this helpful80
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2
KamarrOct 19, 2018
You seen 1 you seen them all. This one was a BLM style movie and it follows a gang banger and a mum and kid and somehow the gang banger is like a jackie chan of guns yet never fills in if he was Ex military or whatever he was just a gangYou seen 1 you seen them all. This one was a BLM style movie and it follows a gang banger and a mum and kid and somehow the gang banger is like a jackie chan of guns yet never fills in if he was Ex military or whatever he was just a gang lord. So boring. Literally every single one is the same just different actors. Just as bad as SHARKNADO...… Expand
4 of 4 users found this helpful40
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3
ProteusJul 5, 2018
Purge. So get to it. Literally 1/2 an hour before anything happens. Advice: deliver on the title when you make a movie. Skyscraper - tall building. A Quiet Place - minimal sound. Isle of Dogs - Dogs on an Island. And Purge - Purge.
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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3
DodgerNov 9, 2018
Easily the worst movie in the franchise, it breaks its own universe rules and has one of the most poorly written storyline scripts iv ever watched in a mainstream movie.

It felt more like a SCYFY copycat movie. This movie brings nothing newEasily the worst movie in the franchise, it breaks its own universe rules and has one of the most poorly written storyline scripts iv ever watched in a mainstream movie.

It felt more like a SCYFY copycat movie.

This movie brings nothing new to the franchise and in some ways retro-actively damages the other movies.

Avoid if possible.… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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1
shpostalJul 17, 2018
I didn't see the other "Purge" movies, and thought on bargain day I might as well to see what the buzz has been about. Well, I can't say anything about the others in the series, but this movie is nothing but a thinly veiled ultra racistI didn't see the other "Purge" movies, and thought on bargain day I might as well to see what the buzz has been about. Well, I can't say anything about the others in the series, but this movie is nothing but a thinly veiled ultra racist diatribe as the first Purge takes place in the poorest parts of Staten Island, NY. It makes no bones that African Americans and a few Hispanics for racial diversity's sake, I suppose will be the targets of a horrific 12 hour rampage of genocidal race motivated insanity. I for one am no racist - I hate those types with a passion, just like millions upon millions of good people of all ethnicities and races do. We want harmony. We want fairness in our economic and societal structures, and all the good things that come with those who have the brains and capacity to reserve judgment on our fellow humans as individuals and their actions, not race, religion, sex preference, etc. "The First Purge" either overlooks or pointedly refuses to acknowledge that fact. The dichotomy here is so divided it's insulting. As if the idea of the first purge isn't bad enough, the film depicts a stark line between victims and the "purgers", which, after a few inner murders of blacks on blacks, becomes a disgusting white ultra KKK fueled attempt at legal ethnic homicidal cleansing with no legal repercussions. In this film, all whites are evil killers. Even while the African Americans depicted are sometimes vicious drug dealers and users, they end up the heroes who successfully last the 12 hours to fight another day. If that isn't enough, the short we see here while looking at the movie online shows a blatantly Donald Trump style "Make America Great Again" hat. When will people understand that this kind of extremist stereotyping is a horrible idea for a movie? It is not fair to anybody who deplores the Trump lovers out there as much as their intended victims of their hate and hostilities. Had the writers at least acknowledged that the majority of Americans regardless again of race, religion, etc. detest the far right's message and behavior of its massively hate filled morons, it might have made the message a bit less divided. Instead it capitalizes on the extremes of society, presents them as the majority, and serves only to galvanize the polarities that are already pulling this country apart. Of course we who are not racist redneck imbeciles parading around in pointy hoods root for the minority community so viciously murdered in this bloodbath. Others though are demented enough to think such an event would be great fun, and minorities would have some people too who would react negatively enough that they would not attempt to understand that the overwhelming majority of whites are on their side. It's just the extremists who fall into this category, but they're out there, and in the face of mass murders in real life going on in epidemic numbers across the country, this idea is mind poison. While some of the action is suspenseful and the fear that accompanies the purge is well represented, it's only that element that deserves the "1" rating. I do not appreciate the implied assertion I am some hayseed illiterate racist hatemonger just because I am white. And good hearted minorities do not appreciate the implication that no white people are ever to be trusted as friends, work associates or any other normal human relationship. It's a terrible plot, and even more sinister concept.… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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2
movieducationOct 26, 2018
THE FIRST PURGE wastes chance to elaborate by turning it into another "Maybe, it's actually an action movie"-movie, killing by numbers snoozefest, a disorienting prequel. Countdown to the purge to purge itself !
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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3
ZJHFeb 10, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This horror movie is bad throughout.I can say”The Worst Purge”?It’s just a…I don’t want to use F-words.OKAY?… Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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3
UnReelReviewsJul 7, 2018
The First purge is the actual prequel that people asked for but basically never got because this movie is trash. The First Purge was a movie excited for but unfortunately I was very disappointed. The biggest issue with this movie is that itThe First purge is the actual prequel that people asked for but basically never got because this movie is trash. The First Purge was a movie excited for but unfortunately I was very disappointed. The biggest issue with this movie is that it doesn't actually answer the question of how the first purge came to be. It opens like every other purge movie and we start with a bad montage of violence and rioting and then 10 minutes later we get the first annual purge is starting. The next big issue is the lead character, while though a compelling performance given the character he plays is completely uncomparable. There is no reason at all that we would want to route for this man and his friends because they are all basically bad people.

the action scenes in this movie are lazy and poorly made, the gun effects and sound designs sound like someone searched up gun noise online and made that the sound effect. The odd decision to use cgi blood also doesn't help because it always looks bad and looks like blood from an old 1980's shooter, where someone blood always sprays from the one part even when their shot somewhere else.

this movie is disappointing and is just another excuse to get more funds and is probably my least favourite of the bunch.… Expand
3 of 5 users found this helpful32
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0
masscraftJul 15, 2018
Just like the last Purge movie, this is an extremely racially biased liberal hit piece. All the good guys are black or some other minority while all the bad guys are white. They even go so far as to put the white guys in KKK hoods andJust like the last Purge movie, this is an extremely racially biased liberal hit piece. All the good guys are black or some other minority while all the bad guys are white. They even go so far as to put the white guys in KKK hoods and pseudo-Nazi uniforms this time. The hero’s are a mix of brutal gang banger drug dealers "with good hearts" and others "held down by the man". The government that starts the Purge is the NFFA, supported by the NRA, of course. It’s a mountain of sick, twisted liberal garbage at a time when minority employment is at historic lows. Movies like this keep black people on the dependent democratic plantation and do nothing but stir the racial hatred magnified during the Obama regime. Garbage.… Expand
7 of 13 users found this helpful76
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2
imthenoobMar 31, 2019
A prequel that does little to explain much of anything and only gives the bare minimum of content before once again being reduced into a plain action film. The characters are arguably the weakest in the franchise in this one and it tries aA prequel that does little to explain much of anything and only gives the bare minimum of content before once again being reduced into a plain action film. The characters are arguably the weakest in the franchise in this one and it tries a bit too hard to play into current social issues without actually making a statement about them.

It is not a good sign that these films are getting progressively worst and worst.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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2
Foolman0Jun 26, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. **** kis **** Lovely movie. I think i will watch again. Kinda hard because all the no all ****s are on the good side.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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0
CoolJRTJan 27, 2022
Of course the domestic terrorist movement loves the idea of violence without consequence and leaped at the chance to fill one of these movies with their wokeness. As a legend once said, "Everything woke turns to s**t."
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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