Skip to content

THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR

Written By:

Courtney Button
purgeelectionyearhome

James DeMonaco expands his Purge franchise to a trilogy with the timely The Purge: Election Year. Every year in the US, for one twelve-hour period, all crime is legal. This is called The Purge. Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) had her family murdered during a Purge and now runs for presidency to try to stop the national holiday. The current government want to stop her so they attempt to assassinate her at this year’s Purge. However, Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), who spared his son’s killer in The Purge: Anarchy, is now her head of security and is going to put his life on the line to protect the senator.

The Purge series is one of the more high concept current franchises in mainstream horror. The first film disappointed by not capitalising on this idea and was instead a limp and dull home invasion movie. The Purge: Anarchy raised things significantly by being hugely enjoyable with plenty of memorable images and a few interesting ideas thrown in. The Purge: Election Year sits somewhere in the middle. It does show some creativity and invention with a few arresting images that stick in the mind, such as “Purge” written in blood on the pillars of the Lincoln memorial, a middle-aged woman singing to herself sat on a bench while a corpse burns in front of her, or the killer teenage girls riding around in a lit-up car with Miley Cyrus’s Party in the USA blaring. But it’s bigger ideas are brought from Anarchy rather than really creating anything new itself; people prowl the night with guns and creatively decorated masks, and the rich gather up a selection of destitute people to kill for themselves, this time with a religious ceremony involved. Ultimately, Election Year is a chase movie as Roan and Barnes are pursued by militant Neo-Nazis, but it’s entertaining enough.

The characters are fine. Frank Grillo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War) continues his trajectory as the next big Hollywood action star. Joe Dixon (Mykelti Milliamson), Marcos (Joseph Julian Sortia) and Laney Rucker (Betty Garbiel) are the working class element of the film who get to mingle with the rich senator and show that there are good people just trying to get by. They won’t stick with you but you care enough about them to hope they get to hold their own.

Carrying on with the second film’s socio economic message (The Purge is a scheme invented by the rich to kill the working class and migrant community while making themselves more money and allowing them to have a little murderous fun in the process), it really hits the political message hard. Election Year is of course timed to coincide with this year’s US election, but the filmmakers were probably counting their blessings as the Trump frenzy has grown out of control. You can imagine Trump sitting at home watching the film and getting a few ideas with a grin on his handful of old ham face.

The Purge: Election Year is better than The Purge but isn’t as good as The Purge: Anarchy. It lacks as much invention as the central idea can conjure but it is a largely enjoyable action horror with flashes of creativity to keep things interesting. It’s still not as scary as this year’s US election though.

THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: JAMES DEMONACO / STARRING: FRANK GRILLO, ELIZABETH MITCHELL, MYKELTI WILLIAMSON, JOSEPH JULIAN SORIA, BETTY GABRIEL / RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 26TH

Courtney Button

You May Also Like...

Short SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER Halfway to Funding

We couldn’t resist the tagline of ‘You’ve heard of Elf on the Shelf, now prepare for Santa’s Little Helper’ and had to check out the Kickstarter for a new short
Read More

First-Look Images and Sizzle Reel for Disturbing Shocker CARA

You can now get your first look at the upcoming disturbing kitchen sink horror film CARA, directed by Hayden Hewitt (Lips) and starring Ellie O’Hara, Johnny Vivash, Laurence R. Harvey,
Read More
chinese remake of anaconda drops trailer

ANACONDA Trailer Grants First Look At Remake Of 1997 Horror Flick

Three sequels and a spinoff-crossover film wasn’t enough for the 1997 creature feature Anaconda, which not only has a new movie in development, but is getting a Chinese remake! From
Read More
black widow star scarlett johansson in talks to lead new universal jurassic world film

Scarlett Johansson In Talks To Join JURASSIC WORLD Film

Another MCU star appears to be taking up the reins for Universal’s new Jurassic World movie: two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson is reportedly in talks to lead the franchise that
Read More

Exclusive Reveal! Titan Comics to Deliver Prehistoric Hysterics in First 2 DUMB DINOS Collection

Titan Comics have exclusively revealed to STARBURST that they’re gearing up to publish the first-ever collection of the hilarious cult digital comic strip 2 Dumb Dinos, and we’re not the
Read More

New Dates For Lovecraftian Key of Dreams

Key of Dreams has announced new spaces for its titular immersive luxury horror event. The critically acclaimed company is known for its overnight experiences that dunk you into a strange
Read More