A small digression; Back in the early 80’s a local theater used to have what was called ‘Dollar Night.’ Every Tuesday admission to all movies, all day, all showings, was just one dollar. Dollar Night was very popular and my friends and myself often took bold risks seeing all manner of movies because well, it was only a dollar. Granted there we endured a lot of bad movies, The Perils of Gwendolyn in the Land of the Yik-Yakcertainly comes to mind. However even with such cinema classics scarring us for life seeing the sheer number of movies that Dollar Night allowed was a pleasure. I am reminded of those days because earlier this month I enrolled in the AMC Theaters subscription program AMC’s A-List. For $19.95 per month subscribers can see up to 3 movies per week for no additional charge. Granted, even with inflation that does not reach the level of discounts that Dollar Night achieved but it does open up the doors for more films and more experimentation in which films I am willing to give a chance in the theater versus waiting for eventual home viewing by way of streaming, premium channels, or disc. It was utilizing that subscription and the strength of MovieBob’s review that lead to me going out last night for The First Purge.

The fourth film in the Purgefranchise (With a television series slated for airing this year) The First Purge is a prequel exploring the origins of the first story’s central premise; that for one evening a year all laws are suspended allowing the American people to cathartically expel their personal violence. (A concept Star Trekfans will remember from the TOSepisode Return of the Archons.) Utilizing footage from crises around the world The First Purge establishes the backstory of a grand economic collapse that lead the assent of a new American political party The New Founding Father of America. The NFFA sweeps in election gaining control at local, state, and federal levels. (Showing that the filmmakers of this franchise already understand the American political system better than more ‘serious’ storytellers.) Using the research of psychologist Dr. Updale (Marisa Tomei) they implement the first purge on a small-scale experimental basis, subjecting Staten Island to a twelve-hour period of lawlessness with hopes, if participation is great enough, of rolling it out nationally. Residents of the area are offered $5000 to remain on Staten Island for the experiment and even more to participate in cathartic violence. (A here the filmmakers display a typical Hollywood misunderstanding of the scientific process.) In addition to follow Dr. Updale and the NFFA party members implementing this experiment the film follows two principal groups of characters, the first centered on community activist and Purge opponent Nya as she attempts to keep her people safe and out of the purge, and the Dmitri, Nya’s ex-lover and leader of a local drug gang. Dmitri also does not believe in the purge but has far less concern for the community than the idealistic Nya. All the character, Updale, Nya, and Dmitri find their worldview and assumption challenged as the reality of the ‘experiment’ and it actual aims are discovered.

The First Purge is dystopian science-fiction prompted as an action/horror film and as with all dystopias it is inherently a political story. If you are a Trump supporter or Trump adjacent the political message is not for you. After all look at one of the movie’s official poster and you’ll see that they are not trying for subtlety. And while U can quibble with some of their statements I celebrate a story, a film, or any art having a point of view.

I mentioned MovieBob’s review, he gave The First Purge 3 out of 5 stars and I think perhaps he was a tad generous. There are glaring flaws in the film’s execution but nor are there any real moments that rise to interesting heights. I think The First Purge is a competent film and get in, tells it story, hits its marks and gets out. For a solid but not stellar performance I would give it 2.5 stars, right in the middle.

I started this review mentioning the long dead ‘Dollar Night.’ While I sat through the previews of coming attraction there were a few that I knew I would see now that the AMC A-List removed the ‘Am I $15 interested?’ hurdle for future films.