THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR (2016) Review
Directed by James DeMonaco
It’s that time again, though The Purge film isn’t annual, it is something that people look forward to, the film, not the actual Purge, because it isn’t real. At least for now. It is a perfect escapism for those who has grudge in them and want their anger to be released through what they see in the film.
This is not a test. This is your Emergency Broadcast System announcing the commencement of The Annual Purge sanctioned by the U.S. Government……
Of course, that isn’t how the film starts, we get to enter their world days before The Purge commences, to see who’s story, which character we’re going to root for until the end. That’s where Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) enters, years after sparing the man who killed his son, former police sergeant Barnes has become head of security for Senator Charlie Roan, a Presidential candidate targeted for death on Purge night due to her vow to eliminate the Purge. But as the annual Purge is coming, she has to be alive during election for her to actually end the reign of the New Founding Fathers and stop The Annual Purge permanently. Exciting, right?
But you see, The Purge, the activity or event, however you want to call it, is somehow ridiculous and stupid. It only happens in the US but none of the other countries oppose the said event. But that’s the plot of the film from the first Purge and if you get past that, it is like that because the idea of the film is to create chaos to entertain and the franchise keeps on raising the bar each installment.
Even though the plot is clearly ridiculous and the characters are at times stupid, it is the point of the film and it’s a lot of fun. You just don’t get to be thrilled with what is happening, you somehow get to feel how it is to purge because the film takes you from why these characters deserve to be eradicated and how they are purged. The film let’s you to be part of what is occurring, violent most of the time but it effectively gives that excitement, fun and feel the rush in your blood, a sort of satisfaction to see an action that needs to be done.
But the characters of the film doesn’t walk the talk. Along the way, they want a group of people to not kill the other group of people but getting there, a lot of killing has already been done. There are a lot of themes in the film that can be a lesson for today’s generation but some might take it the wrong and bad way. I guess the R-16 rating is appropriate but if it gets to be available to everyone soon, they should be guided well before watching it.
3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS
“The Purge: Election Year” is now showing in Philippine cinemas nationwide from United International Pictures, locally distributed by Columbia Pictures. Rated R-16 by the MTRCB.