The Horror Show
The Purge: Anarchy
by James DeMonaco
I went into the movie theater this week with high hopes for the follow up to last year’s The Purge. The first movie was exciting and refreshing. From what I’ve heard, a lot of people didn’t like it, and in fact, hated the first movie. Overall The Purge was a fun take on the dystopian genre. A society that at first glance seems to be thriving with low crime rates, low unemployment, etc, but a society that unfortunately has decided that for one night a year they’re going to make ALL crime legal in order for citizens to “purge” and cleanse their souls on this night.
What we come to find in this second film is that this is also a form of population control. I mean, it’s pretty evident in the first film as well, but the focus in the first film was definitely on the atrocious acts being committed on this fateful night and how everyone, regardless of color, class or creed, can be a monster.
The Purge: Anarchy takes a very different approach than the first film. We’re out on the streets on Purge night, witnessing firsthand the violence and atrocities taking place. We’re seeing that the government is targeting different buildings in the projects and killing its inhabitants in order to get rid of the less fortunate citizens. The government’s main goal? Well, I believe that to be to “purge” the country of the lower class.
We are introduced to several different characters this time around since we aren’t trapped in a house and following one family anymore. Sergeant (Frank Grillo) is a man who seeks to avenge his son’s murder. Eva (Carmen Ejogo) and her daughter Cali (Zoe Soul) only want to stay safe at home, locking themselves in as best they can in their low income apartment. Shane (Zach Gilford) and his estranged wife Liz (Kiele Sanchez) are in a world of trouble when their car breaks down as Purge Night commences.
These five characters are built up well in the small amount of time they’re given before all hell breaks loose and they all become screaming victims running from a bunch of loons. Unfortunately, some of the characters are extremely annoying and as the film progresses, the irritation builds not only in the predictability of the plot, but the predictability of the people involved.
I went into this movie expecting to see all out chaos and was excited that viewers would get to experience Purge night from outside of a house this time. But what I got instead was a film that bled Liberal Politics from every orifice. I understand that the first film had some political undertones as well, but just like Elysium was a film about immigration, The Purge: Anarchy was an anti-gun film disguised as a horror flick. Oh, but you might say, there are other ways people kill on Purge night than with guns! And to that I say sure, but do they show these other ways? Absolutely not. Almost every single person in this film is sporting some heavy artillery in the form of a gun. There is even a moment in which a character discussed guns in such a way that it could be considered erotic. Sure, it was funny, but I’m not stupid and I know why it was put in there. In addition to the anti-gun messages throughout, there movie is riddled with “the government is evil” and “rich people are the devil” tropes and I really would have much rather watched a documentary. At least in that case, I wouldn’t be lied to about what I was about to watch.
There were no creative kills, there was barely any gore and the subterranean anti-Purge movement was eye-rolling. I truly feel that this movie only got an R-Rating for language and gun violence. I sincerely wish I hadn’t paid money to watch this subliminal message filled movie in theaters. I was bored for most of the film and unfortunately it was far too predictable to have any saving graces when the credits rolled. The first film, even though it had one of the worst characters imaginable (the son) and we were confined to a home the entire time, was much more original and entertaining than its sequel. I can’t imagine that there will be another Purge film, in fact I hope to god that there isn’t another. Save your money, watch it when it comes to Redbox if you want.
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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