Review of The Purge: Election Year (2016) by Jenna%20 Q — 22 Feb 2017

The Purge: Election Year.

The Purge: Election Year is the third in the series; which much like the others, is centered around violence and action. Almost every scene contains some sort of shooting, blood, dead bodies, car crashes, or fighting. Director James DeMonaco takes the Election Year on a different tract than the first two. The psychological theme still remains, but this movie takes a closer look at the horror in the political aspect, but the plot isn't as thrilling when viewed in today's society.

James DeMonaco takes a controversial leap when he adds Senator Charlie Roan, who is strictly anti- Purge, against Minister Edwige Owens. Owens and the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) want to get rid of Roan desperately to win the upcoming election. This government- sanctioned holiday, Purge Night, encourages citizens to "purge and purify" themselves by committing crimes, which adds great thrill, yet debate, when DeMonaco places working- class characters against politicians and upper-class citizens. The tragedies and politics today make this movie offensive and not thrilling whatsoever- why place these ideas in the minds of a society who already looks at violence in America as a "normal" thing.

The New Founding Fathers of America, use the Purge to profit from the despair of the less fortunate, much like the original Purge. The Election Year, on the other hand, exploits a hypocritical atmosphere. Charlie Roan's whole campaign is about eliminating the Purge and how strongly "against it" she is, so; how does it make sense that she allows her bodyguard, Leo Barnes, and her friends, Joe and Dawn, to stop NFFA by murdering them? The 'good guys' are no better than NFFA. This part of the movie is frustrating, it goes against the entire goal of the main characters and theme, which is to ultimately stop the Purge. For people who are so strongly against the Purge, you would think they'd find a different way to stop it rather than partaking in it. I understand that changing this area of the film would alter the action and violence of the movie, but overall, it contradicts what the director is depicting within the film.

On top of hypocrisy, DeMonaco also adds racism. One area in particular, is within Joe's character dialogue. DeMonaco gives Joe the "stereotypical black male in America" vibe. While DeMonaco may include this character to be funny or reverse the stereotype, in a sense, it comes off as highly racist and insensitive. A specific scene that comes to mind, is when Joe and his group is surrounded by gang members. Joe compares this experience to "a bucket of fried chicken that is about to be attacked by a bunch of negroes." The relationship between fried chicken and black societies is overrated and immature on DeMonaco's part, especially since Joe uses this terminology multiple times throughout the film.

I find this movie to be the opposite of thrilling. DeMonaco's attempt to enlighten today's issues very cliché and immature. It was a cheap punch and some very real issues surrounding our society today. "it's time to purge the Purge.".