To See or Not to See: The Purge: Election Year

In a parallel universe, American society has collapsed and the New Founding Fathers, amidst the rubble of the country, passed several laws that created The Purge – the idea that, once a year, all crimes (even murder!) are legal within a twelve-hour period. 

Yeah.

It’s a tough premise to swallow, I’d admit, but I have found the series to be relatively enjoyable to watch.  The Purge was a serious and tense thriller largely centered around a home invasion. The Purge: Anarchy added a bit of dark humor and focused more on the city streets.  The latest addition, The Purge: Election Year, sets its sights squarely on the entire nation and whether or not they outlaw The Purge.

Frank Grillo reprises his role as Leo Barnes, a former police officer who is now working to protect Senator Charlie Roan, played by Elizabeth Mitchell.  It’s election year (surprise!) and the Senator is running to end The Purge once and for all, and her rivals – the New Founding Fathers – are trying to stop her campaign one way or another.

The New Founding Fathers are racists and elitists. They purify themselves of their sins by killing poor minorities during The Purge.  Damning as it is, its actually quite apt to the current socio-political climate. As a matter of fact, there is a moment in which we see the political map of the states for and against The Purge and coincidently, they line up with the current political electoral map!  Hell, take a look at the tagline from this official poster. You can’t get more tongue-in-cheek than that!

I went into this knowing full well what I wanted: gratuitous violence and sharp satire with a side of dark comedy which is synonymous with The Purge franchise.  Somehow I felt Election Year didn’t deliver. 

The action scenes were merely serviceable, there was little to no tension in any of the scenes, and the only scary bit happened within the first ten minutes of the film.  Compared to the first two installments wherein I was on the edge of my seat, Election Year had my butt planted firmly on the center of my chair.  Election Year felt formulaic and predictable; none of the main characters can die because they are central to the plot and the side characters aren’t given enough depth for me to care about them whole hog.  It just felt rote and soul-less.

Perhaps its only saving grace is the comedy.  Props to Mykelti Williamson, who plays Joe Dixon, a small shop owner who has to defend himself and his store during the purge.  His comedic timing and delivery had me in stitches throughout the film and at the end of it all, I wanted more of him!

With that said, if you are in the mood for and average mid-summer action movie with some chuckles sprinkled about, go see it!  Just make sure you check your brain out before you go in the theatre.  In fact, you should just leave it at home.

★ ★ ☆ ☆

Photo Credit: Universal