Sometimes things just make no sense. Like when you can’t roll a single six with a dozen dice or when outstanding TV shows get cancelled after a year while that God-awful piece of reality crap on the other channel gets an 8th series. Although occasionally that becomes a good thing, something seemingly defies all logic but does so in a positive and rewarding way. This month brings just such a wonderful but baffling situation as The Purge franchise delivers its 3rd film, Election Year. Somehow, against all laws of cinematic physics, The Purge has become a horror franchise that’s actually getting better with its sequels! Instead of hurling diminishing déjà vu with more gore offerings at us, by further expanding the political and social effects of its “Halloween for adults” concept, it’s created a vast web of morality with some genuine intelligence to it.
Following the exposal of Government soldiers mass slaughtering the poor, the anti-Purge movement is stronger than ever. It’s headed Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell – Juliet from Lost) who promises to abolish the event after winning the upcoming Presidential election. When her pro-Purge NFFA rivals try to assassinate her on Purge night, she and her head of security, Leo (Frank Grillo – MCU’s Crossbones), face a desperate fight for survival on the streets of Washington DC.
This film builds upon several ideas that worked well in The Purge: Anarchy to present what is essentially a present day dystopian future. The film is actually set in 2039 but following an early 21st Century state of economic and social collapse, this world is essentially where we are now but with 2 decades of Purge experience thrown in for good measure (the first Purge was 2018, making this film’s the 21st) and that sense of experience and evolution really feels present here as the visuals and antics have been escalated from the prior films: that through planning and experience people are getting ever more creative in their night of mayhem. It’s the little details like drones being use by gangs to track people down or party goers setting D&D style death traps in their alleyways (complete with hilarious groans when people manage to dodge them). Then we have this new American’s latest booming trade, murder tourism. As eager Purgers flock in from around the globe, gagging to experience this new blood-splattered American way. It all ties in well to the central religious concepts as the night and act itself are pledged as a sin-cleansing (the literal act of this to a church congregation is a spectacular set piece). As a result, there’s a clear Heaven and Hell dynamic: the night brings out the very best or worst in people once given the freedom to indulge in cardinal desires with plenty of good grey areas among various characters. Again, it solidly builds upon the prior film as the anti-Purgers become a much bigger feature but there’s enough explanation for newbies to join the party without any required reading. However, at the same time, it does reward the franchise faithful. The only franchise character hitting a hat trick of appearances, Edwin Hodge’s Dante Bishop, has now become a Malcolm X-styled anti-Purge leader, giving a fascinating arc stretching from the first film. Similarly, there’s a rewarding sense of character evolution is seeing Frank Grillo’s Leo make a reverse Last Boy Scout transition from a downbeat vengeance seeking farther to this cleaned up Secret Service agent in all but name.
The visuals and imagination throughout the film are frequently stunning. From increasingly elaborate costumes and vehicles of the various Purge gangs to the little snippets of bizarre torture rituals in progress (you have to respect the guys with a guillotine, they probably spent all year taking woodworking evening classes). Despite veering much closer to action thriller territory, the film does not abandon its horror roots with some great infrequent jump scares. Most of the action sequences are frantic and energetic, in keeping with the desperation of the lead characters.
Despite topping all the polls for concept and creativity, Election Year still loses some points for its execution as a film. Firstly, James DeMonaco’s script (director and writer of all 3 films) is not his best and struggles for meaningful entertaining exchanges between his characters. While he occasionally hits the mark with humour (all be it with some overdone racial stereotyping), other shots at sentiment feel very bland and uninspired. When the characters are talking about The Purge night from a macro context, the backhanded political agenda, beating Purgers without becoming them etc, the dialogue is often smart and slick but when it comes to their personal emotional arcs the conversation sinks to “Dubya” levels of dumb plodding. The film also struggles with pacing in parts. The opening pre-Purge act feels slower than it should and once the action gets going it occasionally feels like things have taken a very unnecessary pause.
The film gets maximum respect for its relevance in this real life election year by showing us just how dirty politics would be if Trump & Clinton could actually kill each other for one night, as well as some meaningful jabs and religious extremism. If you liked the approach of The Purge: Anarchy, then this sequel is well worth your vote but less so if you prefer your slasher films claustrophobic and psychological. Frank Grillo still makes a convincing action lead and Elizabeth Mitchell does well to hammer home the moral messages without feeling patronizing. Despite an ending that promises to make America great again there are some intriguing hints that this story may have another chapter in it (no sequel confirmed at time of writing) despite a clear exit opportunity to leave things as a trilogy. This is still far from a perfect film or franchise but for all its flaws it will hold your interest better than any candidate debate. If the trailers take your fancy, then this election is worth your participation (for which your Government thanks you).
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