I don’t want to read the thread, not knowing what kind of spoilers are in there. I read the thread before there were any replies, piquing my interest.
From Rotten Tomatoes:
In an America wracked by crime and overcrowded prisons, the government has sanctioned an annual 12-hour period in which any and all criminal activity-including murder-becomes legal. The police can’t be called. Hospitals suspend help. It’s one night when the citizenry regulates itself without thought of punishment
The movie alludes to the US reaching the breaking point with crime, illegals, unemployment, etc. It also suggests world chaos. The “New Founding Fathers” implement radical changes. Crime is severely punished, but for one night a year, all crimes are legal and police and rescue, including hospitals, are suspended. This has resulted in under 2% unemployment and virtually no crime. Poverty is nearly eliminated as are illegals. Part of the reason is the the poor and sick are easy targets, so, they are killed first during the purge. The purge allows people to vent built up violence and also removes the “riff raff.”
The movie centers on Ethan Hawke and his family. He got rich building security systems for the purge. On the night of the purge, a bloody black man shows up at the door begging for help. The son lets him in. This results in a gang coming to the house demanding return of the guy and trying to get in the house.