Marketing this movie must have been the best job ever. James DeMonaco, struck by brilliant inspiration, has crafted a relentless and timely critique of our social climate. Brutal and truly, deeply disturbing, the film surpasses its two predecessors in relevance and in tapping into very real cultural horrors. There are no shortages of fearsome images (like the ones in the poster below), and paired with the film's distinct title, the filmmakers and marketers were able to scare me well before I even knew the release date. Look at that creepy Lady Liberty costume. Look at the gaudy stars and stripes and neon lights surrounded by smoke and blood. I mean, come on, just look at the trailer's repeated phrase, "Keep America Great."
Whether you're more concerned with vigilantism, guns, racism, poverty, church corruption, legal corruption, self-defense, sexism, it's all here. Or if you just want a solid thriller, it's here, arguably for the first time in the franchise. Smart, quickly paced, and packed with engaging action sequences, this picture finally fully realizes what the first one promised, and this time with much less sentimentality, less arbitrarity, and less Ethan Hawke. Its politics leave a little to be desired, and I suppose at times it can get a bit preachy. But if that's the worst you can say about a horror movie, it must be damn good.
And this one is. Even in its pulpy brutality and almost campy delivery, Election Year manages to get into your head in a way Anarchy couldn't quite. Frank Grillo is back as former police sergeant Leo Barnes, who now leads the security of anti-Purge Senator Charlie Roan. Grillo's grizzled badassery again steals the movie, though this time his grounded performance isn't quite as compelling. The Senator, on the other hand, controls the little bit of sentiment in the picture, and the opening sequence (concerning her history with the Purge) is the only sequence the film really doesn't need. Beyond that, she is a wonder to watch: Her idealism and uncompromising position would be unbelievable in the Purge-world if she were not portrayed by the firebrand that is Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost, Once Upon a Time, and the Santa Clause sequels).
I'm curious as to the future of the franchise. Because each of the three films has gotten exceptionally better, I hope to see more here. After Election Year's smash-bang of a climax, DeMonaco sows a delicious little seed of hope that could easily spawn a direct sequel (as opposed to a pseudo-anthologized sequel). Senator Roan wins the presidency in a landslide vote, and her top priority is declared as stopping the annual Purge. A news report suggests that Purge supporters have begun to riot in the streets. Now, you tell me: Do you see another installment coming?
I feel about as dreadful and expectant about the next film as I do about our own election this November. DeMonaco could have a lot of fodder to gorge and regurgitate on the big screen.
IMDb: The Purge: Election Year
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