When you watch a movie like The Purge, regardless of which one it is in the series, you have to lower your expectations to an uncomfortably low point. The first one was pretty good because it was a new concept that explored a new type of Fear focused on what if society encouraged riots, violence and planned chaos for one night every year. Since that first one though, the concept shifted from Fear to deeply-rooted politics with a hint of horror. A franchise that realized it needed to focus on having a plot well after filming already started. So here is another Things I Fear Movie Review about The Purge, Election Year. Get casually excited.
The best part of this movie, without question, is the over-enthusiastic Halloween costume store owner who wants to promote a deal on masks. After this moment, the movie goes downhill pretty fast. A bit of drama thanks to a sassy shoplifter and a sudden call from an insurance company really sets the tone for what comes next. An emergency broadcast announcement plays indicating chaos is about to ensue and then everyone starts killing people to make the world a better place.
The sassy shoplifter ends up being a primary character in the movie as she partners up with some friends with similar lifestyle interests. The other main character is a Senator who is betrayed by the people who she hired to protect her. Spoiler alert, sorry. So she’s running around outside and eventually meets up with the shop owner who doesn’t want to negotiate but also wants to avoid conflict but also doesn’t mind killing strangers. It’s a unique perspective on what is important in life.
A lot of slow-motion scenes mixed with overlapping audio is often regarded as the difference between a good movie and The Purge. The Senator ends up teaming with a rag-tag group of fellow non-purgers who just do what they can to survive. An appearance by a helicopter sporting a machine gun is an unfair advantage for those high up in the air, but it wouldn’t be a movie with a wild amount of violence without it since it leads to a Fight Club-inspired underground group of people who don’t need a Purge to have a good time.
When you breakdown how little actually happens in this movie and how long it takes for it to happen, it’s pretty remarkable. The main characters probably cover about 5km in distance and talk to 10 people but it still takes 90 minutes. The climax of the movie occurs in a church with a bunch of people who look like the Monopoly man. It’s just kind of awkward to watch. A big finale of gun violence wraps everything up with a nice bow. 4 more years, 4 more years!
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