So, you’re thinking about sitting down for a marathon of legal crime and suburban chaos, but you’ve got one big question: what rating is The Purge? It’s a fair point to bring up. If you’re hosting a movie night or—god forbid—letting your teenager pick the flick, you need to know exactly how much blood is going to hit the screen.
The short answer? Every single movie in The Purge theatrical franchise is rated R.
There isn’t a PG-13 bone in this series’ body. From the original 2013 home invasion thriller to the more politically charged sequels like Election Year, the MPA (Motion Picture Association) has consistently slapped them with that "Restricted" label. This means if you’re under 17, you technically need a parent or adult guardian to tag along. But why? Is it just the stabbing? Or is it something more?
Breaking Down the Rating: Why The Purge Isn't For Kids
When the MPA looks at a film, they aren't just counting bodies. They’re looking at the "vibe" of the violence. Honestly, The Purge isn't just violent; it’s mean.
The core concept—a 12-hour window where all crime, including murder, is legal—inherently requires a high level of brutality to work. If it were PG-13, it would feel like a watered-down version of its own premise. The ratings boards specifically cite "strong disturbing violence," "pervasive language," and "some drug use" as the primary reasons for the R rating across the board.
Take the first film, for example. It stars Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey. Most of the movie happens inside a single house. It feels claustrophobic. The violence is intimate. You see the fear in people's eyes before a machete enters the frame. That "disturbing" quality is what pushes it over the edge. It’s not "fun" violence like a Marvel movie where robots explode; it’s human-on-human cruelty.
Violence and Gore: The Nitty Gritty
If you’re squeamish, you might want to skip these. In The Purge: Anarchy, the scale gets bigger. We see people being hunted in the streets like animals. There are flamethrowers. There are Gatling guns mounted on trucks.
- The First Purge (2018): This one leaned heavily into the "strong disturbing sci-fi violence." Since it’s a prequel, it shows the social experiment’s origin. It features some pretty graphic depictions of explosions and close-quarters combat.
- The Forever Purge (2021): This is probably the most intense of the bunch. It deals with a group of people who decide the Purge shouldn't end after 12 hours. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. The MPA specifically noted the "bloody images."
It’s worth noting that while the movies are bloody, they aren't necessarily "torture porn" in the vein of Saw or Hostel. It’s more about the sudden, shocking bursts of aggression. You’ll see a fair amount of blood spray and some lingering shots of wounds, but the focus is usually on the tension of the hunt rather than the mechanics of the injury.
What Rating is The Purge TV Show?
This is where things get slightly confusing for some fans. If you move away from the big screen and look at The Purge television series, which ran for two seasons on USA Network, the rating shifts slightly because of FCC regulations and cable standards.
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The TV show is typically rated TV-MA.
In the world of television, TV-MA is the equivalent of an R rating. It stands for "Mature Audience." It basically warns that the show may contain crude indecent language, explicit sexual activity, or graphic violence. While cable networks have more leeway than broadcast networks (like NBC or ABC), they still have to answer to advertisers.
Surprisingly, some fans argue the TV show is actually more disturbing than the movies. Because it has ten hours per season to tell a story, it can dive deeper into the psychological trauma of the characters. You spend more time with the "Purgers," which makes their actions feel more grounded and, frankly, more disgusting.
Comparing The Purge to Other Horror Franchises
To really understand the intensity, it helps to look at its neighbors.
- A Quiet Place: This is PG-13. It’s scary, sure, but it’s mostly "jump scares" and creature violence. No one is getting cursed out or brutally executed by their neighbor.
- Halloween (2018): This is a solid R. It’s very similar to The Purge in terms of the level of gore and the "slasher" feel.
- The Hunger Games: Also PG-13. Even though kids are killing kids, it’s mostly bloodless. The Purge refuses to do that. It wants you to see the blood because it’s trying to make a point about human nature.
Is the R rating justified? Probably. If you removed the "f-bombs" and the blood, you’d be left with a shell of a movie. The whole point of the franchise is to hold up a mirror to society’s darkest impulses. You can't really do that with a "Teen" rating.
The Parental Perspective: Is it Okay for Teens?
Let's be real. Kids find ways to watch these movies.
Common Sense Media, a site that crowdsources parents' and kids' opinions on age-appropriateness, generally suggests that The Purge is okay for those 16 and up.
Parents often point out that the political themes are actually pretty interesting for older teens to discuss. The series tackles classism, racism, and government overreach. However, the "pervasive language" is no joke. The characters swear a lot. Like, a lot. If you aren't okay with your kid hearing every four-letter word in the book, this isn't the franchise for your household.
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There’s also the "disturbing" factor. Some people just don't handle the "masked stranger" trope well. There’s something uniquely terrifying about a person in a smiling plastic mask holding a chainsaw. It taps into a very primal fear of the "other."
A Quick Look at the Numbers: Box Office and Ratings
Interestingly, the R rating hasn’t hurt the franchise at the box office. Usually, studios push for PG-13 to get a wider audience (the "teenager" money). But Blumhouse, the studio behind the films, knows their audience.
- The first Purge movie was made for about $3 million and made over $89 million.
- Anarchy cost $9 million and pulled in $111 million.
- Election Year hit $118 million.
People show up because it’s R-rated. They want the visceral experience. They want the edge. The rating is actually a selling point here. It promises the viewer that the movie won't pull any punches.
What About International Ratings?
If you’re reading this from outside the United States, the rating might look a bit different on the box.
In the UK, the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) usually gives The Purge movies a 15 rating. This is slightly more "lenient" than the American R, as it allows 15-year-olds to buy a ticket. In Canada, it’s usually an 18A or 14A depending on the province. Australia typically lands on an MA15+.
Different cultures have different "trigger points." In the US, we are very sensitive to language and sexual content but often more "relaxed" about violence. In Europe, it’s often the opposite. Regardless of the specific country, the consensus is universal: this is adult content.
Common Misconceptions About The Purge Ratings
Some people think The Purge is a "Slasher" movie. It isn't, really. Or at least, it didn't start that way.
The first film is a "Home Invasion" movie. The sequels are "Urban Survival" or "Action-Horror." Because the genre shifts, the type of violence shifts too.
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Another misconception is that the movies are "gratuitous." While there is a lot of killing, much of it happens off-screen or is suggested through sound design. Director James DeMonaco often uses the threat of violence to build tension rather than just showing a constant stream of guts. This is a subtle distinction, but it’s why the movies feel "smarter" than your average low-budget horror flick.
Key Factors in the MPA Rating:
- Language: Extreme and frequent.
- Violence: Graphic, including shootings, stabbings, and vehicular mayhem.
- Tone: Consistently dark, nihilistic, and tense.
- Nudity/Sex: Very minimal. This isn't that kind of movie.
Practical Steps for Your Next Watch Party
If you're planning on diving into this world, here is how you should handle the rating situation:
1. Check the specific movie. While they are all R, some are "harder" than others. The Forever Purge is much more intense in terms of gunplay and scale than the original 2013 film.
2. Know your audience. If you have friends who are sensitive to "home invasion" scenarios, the first movie will be a nightmare for them. If they don't like "political" violence, skip Election Year.
3. Don't forget the TV show. If you want the Purge experience but want to spread it out over several nights, the TV-MA series is actually a great way to consume the lore without the 90-minute adrenaline dump of the films.
4. Look for "Unrated" versions. Occasionally, home media releases (Blu-ray/4K) will feature an "Unrated" cut. Usually, these just add a few extra seconds of gore or a couple more "f-bombs." If the R rating was already too much for you, definitely stay away from these.
The bottom line is that The Purge is exactly what it claims to be. It’s a dark, violent, and loud exploration of a "what if" scenario that has fascinated audiences for over a decade. It earns its R rating through its cynical view of humanity and its refusal to look away when things get messy.
Before you press play, just make sure everyone in the room is ready for 12 hours of lawlessness. Or, you know, 90 minutes of movie-legal lawlessness. Turn off the lights, lock your doors (for the irony), and enjoy the chaos. Just don't say you weren't warned about the rating.