THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR Trailer
The central concept that for 12 hours the American government makes all crime legal has always been the main selling point for The Purge series. There’s inevitable sociopolitical commentary there, not to mention the smaller question of what kind of people would participate in such brutality. Striking ad campaigns for the first two films turned them into massive financial successes, and the forthcoming third film, The Purge: Election Year, looks to continue that success while toying with ending the timeline.
While the concept for the series is great, the execution has been shaky. The first film, The Purge, was critically reviled while the second, The Purge: Anarchy, garnering mixed reviews. I sided with those that thought Anarchy worked, if only in a modest way. The addition of Frank Grillo as the conflicted but able Sergeant gave the series a sturdy center, and writer/director James DeMonaco staged the mayhem with stylish flair. Both men return for Election Year, and with another solid cast surrounding Grillo and even more plot emphasis on the despicable motivations underlying the annual event, the series looks like it’s moving tantalizingly closer to being the bloody commentary many of us want it to be.
It would be shocking if this film wasn’t another financial success for producer Jason Blum and his company Blumhouse Productions, and it’ll be interesting to see if they willingly give this series an endpoint. It’s not that the move would kill the opportunity for future films (prequels, people), but if they allow Elizabeth Mitchell’s politician to survive and end The Purge, it’s bound to feel like a final judgement on all the mayhem that the series reviles in. How would audiences feel about returning to the bloodbath after that?
The Purge: Election Year is directed by James DeMonaco and stars Frank Grillo and Elizabeth Mitchell. It will open in the U.S. on July 1st, 2016 and in the U.K. on July 15th, 2016. International release dates can be found here.
Has The Purge series worked for you in the past? Let us know your thoughts on this bizarrely ambitious series in the comments below!
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