The Purge: Election Year

In the third – and last (?) – edition of The Purge trilogy, the Clinton/Trump scrimmage gets a chilling work-out.

The original The Purge came out of nowhere three years ago, creating an intriguing new genre, perhaps influenced by Westerns and films like Assault on Precinct 13. This third film, like the disappointing The Purge: Anarchy (2014), which abandoned the claustrophobia of the original in a confined space, has now expanded all over Washington D.C. Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) is now working as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), who is running for president. But their lives are in extreme danger as soon as the twelve hours of lawful killing begins...

This is an improvement on Anarchy, but still no match of the original, with a strong political message reflecting the battle between Ms Clinton and the odious Trump. The theme of white supremacy versus the poor and black community is highlighted even further in this (apparently) concluding part of the trilogy.

GEORGE SAVVIDES

Cast: Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson, Joseph Julian Soria, Betty Gabriel, Terry Serpico, Raymond J. Barry, Kyle Secor.

Dir James DeMonaco, Pro Michael Bay, Jason Blum, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller and Sebastien Lemercier, Screenplay James DeMonaco, Ph Jacques Jouffret, Pro Des Sharon Lomofsky, Ed Todd E. Miller, Music Nathan Whitehead, Costumes Elisabeth Vastola.

Platinum Dunes/Blumhouse Productions-Universal Pictures.
108 mins. USA/France. 2016. Rel: 26 August 2016. Cert. 15.