Review of The Purge: Election Year (2016) by Ricky R — 07 Jul 2016

Purge: Election Year is a problematic film. It attempts to offer a scathing critique of our fascination with guns and violence while hypocritically relying excessively on both to advance the plot. The backdrop of this story centers around an election between polarizing, yet one-note opponents (the only platform of each is easily deduced down to pro-vs-anti purge), allowing for a current, almost impatient parallel to what's currently playing out in the media.

Unfortunately, the film doesn't take that particular branch of the story far enough, keeping the politics minimal even as politics plays a major role in the senator's struggle to survive. At its heart, Purge is merely a survival film with embellished critiques on class, race, and violence.

That most of the 'good guys' are minority and most of the 'bad guys' are white, older males presents a major flaw in the form of a binary us-vs-them, only complicated in unexpected head-scratching twists.

The film has its flaws but it also has some shining spots. Elizabeth Mitchell delivers a strong performance as the senator running for president, determined to eliminate the purge and she is put in the precarious position of putting her money where her mouth is, leaving a curious uncertainty in whether or not she'll stick to her platform, regardless of the personal cost.

The rest of the main cast is rounded out by capable performances but none really stand out as most all of them have a blatant been-there-done-that feel to them, rendering them little more than one-note cutouts of characters intended to challenge stereotypes, not quite fleshing them out enough to do so.

Ultimately, this is the film's biggest flaw. Purge: Election Year doesn't feel fully fleshed out. It seems chock full of missed opportunities and excessive violence. It's effective but it could've been much more effective had it put a few of its more troubling aspects into sharper focus, allowing for a more thorough critique while still boasting its horror street credibility.