Film review: The Purge Election Year (15)

I’ve always found the (admittedly horrifying) concept of The Purge films pretty interesting.

Imagine a world where the American (or any) government sanctions all crimes – including murder – for one night of the year in a bid to allow the population to let off steam.

That’s the dystopian setting all three of the films in the series have served up, with the fictional New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) seeing The Purge as an essential part of their vision for society.

2013’s The Purge showed us the ‘national holiday’ through the eyes of one family, while 2014’s The Purge: Anarchy took us to the blood-thirsty streets.

It marked solid progress for writer/director James DeMonaco – and Election Year, the third in the series, is yet another step forward for the horror franchise.

Frank Grillo’s Leo Barnes is back after his pleasing arc in Anarchy and is now head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Lost’s Elizabeth Mitchell). She wants to get into the Oval Office and end The Purge for good, seeing it as a night when the powers that be take the chance to cull the homeless and poor in a bid to reduce the population.

She’s popular – and that rings alarm bells with the NFFA, who want their candidate Minister Edwidge Owens (Kyle Secor) to be president.

With than in mind, the powers that be decide that it’s time to do something about Senator Roan… and what better time to do the dirty deed than Purge night?

Normally, government officials (including Senators) aren’t allowed to be touched during The Purge, but the NFFA change that ahead of their planned assassination of Roan – and indeed any other dissenting voices.

Running parallel to the main plot is a story involving deli owner Joe (Mykelti Williamson), and his friends Marcos (Joseph Julian Soria) and Laney (Betty Gabriel).

While Marcos and Joe are forced to venture out on Purge night to defend the store, Laney runs a triage van, helping those who have been hurt (remember, emergency services aren’t available on Purge night).

Naturally, the two storylines do merge later on to satisfying effect.

In trademark style, the streets are filled with shady characters dressed in outrageous (and downright scary) outfits. There’s plenty of visceral gore and jump-out-of-your-seat scares, too.

As with the two earlier Purge films, don’t expect a movie masterclass.

They are good at what they do and this sticks to the same tried-and-tested formula, albeit with a much meatier storyline.

Grillo is once again formidable as ex-cop Barnes, while the underrated Mitchell is well cast was Roan.

Williamson brings the comic relief, while Gabriel’s Laney is enjoyably bad-ass.

The many villains are all pretty solid too, with a stand-out church scene involving the NFFA as disturbing as it was satisfying.

What I like about the Purge films is that I know what I’m getting when I go into the cinema.

I don’t expect a classic, but I expect to be entertained – and Election Year marks another step forward for the series.

I’d be interested to see where it goes next and would certainly be up for seeing another gory Purge offering.

Voice Verdict: 7.5/10 (reviewed at Boston’s West End Cinema)
+ Best Purge film yet
+ Trademark visceral gore
+ Will scare you
– Don’t expect vintage storytelling

SHOWTIMES
Boston’s West End Cinema (Fri, Sept 2 to Thurs, Sept 8)

BEN HUR 2D (12A)
12.30pm (Wed), 3.45pm (Wed/Thurs)

SAUSAGE PARTY (15)
10am (Fri/Sat/Sun), noon (Wed), 2.30pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Wed), 4.30pm (daily), 5.45pm (Tues – subtitled), 6.35pm (daily), 8.45pm (daily)

LIGHTS OUT (15)
6.45pm (daily)

WAR DOGS (15)
2pm (Wed), 8.40pm (daily)

MORGAN (15)
4.30pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues), 6.35pm (daily), 8.45pm (daily)

BAD MOMS (15)
3.40pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon), 8.30pm (daily)

FINDING DORY 3D (U)
Noon (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon)

FINDING DORY 2D (U)
10am (Fri/Sat/Sun), 2.15pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon), 4.30pm (daily)

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2D (U)
10am (Fri/Sat/Sun), 1pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon)

PETE’S DRAGON 2D (PG)
10.30am (Fri/Sat/Sun), noon (Sat/Sun/Mon), 2.15pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon), 4pm (Tues/Thurs)

THE BFG 2D (PG)
Noon (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon), 2.40pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon)

SWALLOWS & AMAZONS (PG)
12.30pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon)

SUICIDE SQUAD 2D (15)
5.20pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Wed/Thurs), 8pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues/Wed)

THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR (15)
6pm (daily)

JASON BOURNE (12A)
8pm (Thurs)

KIDS’ CLUB
10.15am (Fri/Sat/Sun) – Robinson Crusoe 3D (PG)

SILVER SCREEN
11.30am (Wed) – Suicide Squad (15)