04 Jul 16 - The Purge: Election Year

***this review contains no spoilers***

"Purge and purify ...purge and purify..."

The Purge - pits you deep within the terrifying, nail-biting action as a family unexpectedly experiences the annual event due to their neighbors' jealous rage against them. 

The Purge Anarchy - three separate stories rolled into one plot as you experience the annual night of crime, murder and mayhem on the streets of Los Angeles while seeds of revolution sprout. There was SO much realism of what's happening to the poor and working-poor in this movie.

Both highly recommended viewing by SouthSide, blogspot readers.

Now, we have come to the third chapter of this series - The Purge: Election Year ...and once again, you're in for another nail-biting, "edge on your seat" ride of your life within this movie set in Washington D.C. And this time the subject of purging is on the forefront as a major election issue between two candidates - Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), a lone survivor of a purging in which murdered her family protected by Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo - the only returning character from Anarchy) and Minister Edwidge Owens (Kyle Secor), the creepiest political candidate ever seen on the movie screen (The Donald has nothing on this guy!) who wholeheartedly supports the NFAA (New Founding Fathers of America) annual event. 

The nation as a whole is torn between supporting and not supporting the purge, blogspot readers. Anti-purge movements and protests appear to be dominating the news on a regular basis and this has the NFAA sorely pissed off. And they're prepared to do whatever it takes (i.e. clean house) to make sure the annual night of purging remains in tact. Perhaps ...forever.

Meanwhile we meet other characters indirectly caught up within the election debate in this movie. Meet Joe Dixon - a deli shop owner who at the last minute has his purge insurance rates jacked up, Marcos - a Mexican immigrant who knows the key to winning the election for Senator Roan, Laney - who drives a makeshift ambulance to help purge victims reach an underground triage center and Bishop Dante - the organizer and leader of the anti-Purge movement. Though the stories are not somewhat connected, they do intertwined together by misfortune when the Purge finally begins.

It's a crazed scene, blogspot readers. 

It's race against race ...gender versus gender ...young versus old ...political candidate versus political candidate...

Yet, who really benefits from this night of mayhem, crime and murder? Well, definitely not those who are poor, unemployed, drug addicts, illegal immigrants, etc because it's was intentionally designed to "purge and purify" the nation, if you connect the subtle hints left throughout this movie. There's profit to be made if you're into the tourism aspect, blogspot readers. The Purge: Election Year introduces a creepy notion that this type of event would attract thrill-seeking Euros hopping across the pond to experience what most Americans have been doing for years now. As America, this where we hit a new low but in reality - it could happen. The United States has hand its share of being a bad influence on our European friends. 

SouthSide appreciates how director and writer James DeMonaco skillfully tapped into what's currently occurring in today's political scene, blogspot readers. It may be a movie but with SO much realistic tones and subject matter, it's downright frightening how our two-party political system can be. It's truly a "dog eat dog" type of duel to the death between a Hillary Clinton-like candidate and Donald Trump-like candidate being prominently featured on the big screen. SouthSide had chills when the scene of Lincoln Memorial was written in blood with the letters spelling P U R G E across the columns and dead bodies draped on the steps. Yet, you also witness how this annual event truly effects those helplessly as well as innocently caught in the middle at the underground triage center. The fact James picked T-Rex's "Twenty Century Boy" and Parliament's "Give Up The Funk) as well as David Bowie's "I'm Afraid of Americans" (a fitting homage to Ziggy's love-hate relationship with Americans) to instill some lighthearted fear and fun into this movie. SouthSide wasn't expecting to hear those three songs currently rotating on her playlist yet it was nice shocking surprise.

The Purge: Election Year does have its moments when you want to cheer and root for the good guys ...rejoice at the moment when the members of the NFAA get their comeuppance towards the end ...but it's still a horrifying, gory (at times) movies in which the actions of violence can touch a nerve. Definitely not recommended for kids under 14 even though SouthSide and her daughter saw moviegoers bringing their children as young as 5 to 9 to this movie. 

She highly recommends seeing The Purge: Election Year. 

Until next time, support your local scene,

SouthSide