Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? No.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? If you’re into thrillers.
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 103 minutes (~1.75 hours)
“The Purge: Anarchy” is a thriller that serves as a sequel to last year’s “The Purge.” It centres on a group of strangers who have to survive on a night when any and all crimes are legal, including murder. It stars Frank Grillo (Sergeant), Carmen Ejogo (Evan Sanchez), Zach Gilford (Shane), Kiele Sanchez (Liz), and Zoe Soul (Cali Sanchez). It is rated NC-16.
While the concept of the Purge is interesting in “The Purge: Anarchy,” it serves more as a vehicle for wanton mayhem and gruesome violence than an interesting take on human nature. There’s so much potential for exploring the ramifications that would come with the Purge (selling government secrets, anyone?) but of course, that is downplayed in favour of the brutal murders in the film.
So what’s interesting about “The Purge: Anarchy”?
It lives up to its genre
Between the shocking start of the Purge, the multitude of killing methods, and the vast amount of weaponry available to all the characters, the movie certainly delivers on its share of thrills. There are surprisingly few casualties among the protagonists, which is all the more impressive considering how much the action sends your heart racing.
Theme of oppression
Again, for an action film, there’s a very strong undercurrent of persecution of not just the protagonists, but the lower economic classes they belong to as well. Of course, this is explicitly spelt out in the last few scenes of the movie, but even before that you can sense this loathing coming from both sides of the income gap.
Misdirection in Act 2- Act 3
At the end of Act 2, the protagonists finally come to a safehouse – which has very unexpected consequences. The entire scene was very brilliantly handled – what appeared to be a very ordinary household was layered with subtext, and the build up to the Act climax was skilfully executed.
However, “The Purge: Anarchy” has many flaws that prevent it from being a hit.
Escalation is pointless
The characters are forced from set piece to set piece with the flimsiest of reasons. It serves its purpose in driving the action, but you get this sense of futility with the protagonists. Would the movie have ended any differently without their presence?
No sympathy for Sergeant
The main character, billed as “Sergeant” in the credits, is meant to be a angst-filled, mysterious protagonist. But he comes across more as an empty raging shell with too many guns to be believable. His dearth of backstory prevents us from sympathising with him, which becomes problematic when the final scene, which is both long and emotional, hinges on you understanding the character’s sorrow and frustration.
The scale of the Purge feels small
It’s repeatedly touted that the Purge takes place across the entire country – yet it feels like a very small, contained occurrence within a single city. A few public service announcements do not a national event make.
Women are screaming helplessly all the time
The female characters in the story are virtually defenseless. Even when they’re armed, they are hardly capable of surviving without any assistance. It works in the first few scenes, but there’s hardly any growth or development of the female characters, who are still as helpless in the final scene as they are in the first.
The Anti-Purge Resistance is a poor deus ex machina
Late in the film, the Anti-Purge Resistance makes its appearance – and then vanishes. There are a few references to it throughout the film, which is to ostensibly build up a huge final confrontation between two large military groups. But all the Resistance does is to stage a rescue, and that is it. There is no resolution of this incredibly random plot point. No commentary, no parting words, nothing. Just a promise of more murder.
“The Purge: Anarchy” definitely provides catharsis in terms of violence (many viewers will be thinking of what they could do if we ever had a Purge in Singapore), but it could have been a thought provoking film as well given its theme and premise. Sadly, it doesn’t capitalise on this opportunity, and only fulfils its role as an action movie.
“The Purge: Anarchy” opens in cinemas 18 September, 2014 (Thursday).
This review was also published on Yahoo Movies Singapore.
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