In the not-too-distant future, the U.S. government has decided to authorize a purge every year, allowing any U.S. citizen to vent their hatred and commit murder for 12 hours, unmolested by the law. American Nightmare offers us an original concept, but which leads to a not great film. Focus!
A terrifying starting idea
It is not uncommon to see films that entice the viewer with an intriguing concept before disappointing them with their narrative choices. American Nightmare , by director James DeMonaco, is one of those films. The starting point of the feature film was ideal for a horror film: Making crime legal for 12 hours was the best way for the filmmaker to install permanent tension in the audience by plunging them into a world where anyone can become a criminal.
The film tells us the story of the Sandin family, who prepare for the purge as every year. This family, rather well-off, has no murderous tendencies and even has a real impregnable fortress, their house being barricaded and very secure. But when the youngest of the family decides to bring a frightened homeless man into his home, he signs, without knowing it, the beginning of the purge for his relatives. The group of trappers wishing to kill the homeless man will want to recover him, otherwise he would break into the house in order to shoot the whole family. Then begins a case of conscience where the death of some can do the business of others.
A treatment not up to par
The initial pitch suggested that the film would offer significant social criticism and a diatribe on violence in the United States. The film begins directly with an enumeration of the "benefits" of the purge, arguing that it has led to a considerable decrease in the percentage of crimes on American soil, as well as a sharp decline in unemployment. For a large majority of Americans in the film, the purge is necessary and beneficial. And it is from this data that the film develops its most interesting idea. Where the film tries to stand out is when it plays the card of de-consciousness of crime. During those 12 hours, committing murder seems to be the cure for all ills. It is not only the physical expression of an individual's resentment and hatred but ultimately also does the business of the richest and the government, whose members are automatically spared during the purge.
James Sendin, patriarch of the family targeted by purgers, is also, indirectly, one of the beneficiaries of the annual purge. Seller of real high-end security arsenals, it allows anyone who can buy it to protect themselves from the terrifying acts of that night. He built his wealth mainly thanks to this concept of purge since he is the best seller of security devices. So even if he does not feel the need to act, the simple invention of this criminal night allows him to shelter his family. Financially at least since death will still lurk in his house.
But after this observation, American Nightmare offers us a horror film of the most classic, a subgenre called the home-invasion. The story is not the most original and that's why the film disappoints the most. The narrative scheme is basic and does not use its initial concept to become interesting. Finally, this story of intruders in a house has been used many times in horror cinema.
As a pure horror film, it works quite well with its share of jump-scares, obligatory passages of the genre, but it is not destabilizing enough for the viewer. The threat is certainly present, but the course of the footage is without real surprises, which makes that the artificiality of some scenes can annoy.
We will not go so far as to say that American Nightmare is a nightmare or that the film is a real purge like some fellow critics, but it is really unfortunate to see James DeMonaco make such an unstimulating copy. Nevertheless, it remains a pretty decent horror movie.
