The Purge: Anarchy is the second installment in the media franchise. It was released on July 18, 2014. When you want to watch the whole franchise of films chronologically, this film is third on the list. It was directed by James DeMonaco (a writer and director who worked on diverse genres of film but was known for directing three films in the Purge franchise). It was produced by Universal Pictures, Blumhouse, and Platinum Dunes.
A 12-hour purge, giving freedom to all sorts of crime. Intertwined with the situation, the citizens had no choice but to obey the customs. The story begins with three sets of perspectives of people. Eva and her daughter Cali live with their elderly father in their apartment and happen to encounter unforeseen events. Then the bickering couple, Shane and Liz, were on the streets for just a few hours until the commencement of the purge. Finally, Frank Grillo, also known as the "Sergeant" in the film, participates in the purge seeking vengeance. They have different motives and situations. The question is, will they see another tomorrow after this so-called holiday?
When the sirens start to blow, silence comes after them. Then the whole place will be covered in blood. The rise of action starts when the Sergeant, Eva and Cali, and Shane and Liz stumble upon each other’s path. They only share one thing in common and it is that they don’t want to die. They encounter different groups of citizens participating in the purge while they find a safe place to survive the night. Little did they know that finding a haven to stay is not the end of their misery that night. You will have no room to breathe. It is a continuous rise of events that will make your heart pound like crazy.
The wardrobe of the characters purging people was simple yet gave an eerie feel. Most of the scenes in the movie were not well-lit, yet it was a factor in making the movie thrilling. Although it will be better to adjust the lighting in the movie for viewers to fully engage in the film, especially in the action scenes. The cinematography was not that great, but it was enough to make the viewers finish the film. Some characters are annoyingly nosy. An example is Cali. She suddenly became close to Sergeant, giving him advice even after concluding that the man was out to purge. It does not make sense that she suddenly became demanding of the man she didn't know until a few minutes ago. Moreover, they were all feeling entitled that the man should be the one protecting them. Yes, it's human nature to depend on someone that looks superior, but the film just jumps to the part.
This movie's weak point is storytelling. There were so many ways to show that some parts were not connected properly. The movie didn't have much sound also; it was just guns, dogs, and motorcycles; enough to feel the setting. Even inside the house, you’ll feel the anxiety they have when the commencement happens. They show how violent people can be. In all of those terrifying moments, the purge does symbolize how the poor are being left behind. It was when Big Daddy states “The unwritten Purge rule: don't save lives. Tonight we take lives. We make things manageable. Unfortunately, the citizens aren't killing enough. So we supplement it all to keep things balanced. It's important to work the NFFA does and we can't have any interference” you know it was government work for the wealthy. It was a solution the government created, but it was a scheme to number-out poor people. You can see how different the poor and the wealthy are. For example, how the mother and daughter were frightened even though they were inside the house compared to the family living in the household, having metal covers along all the windows and doors, sleeping peacefully.
In my opinion, out of all the movie franchises, it was the best of all. It shows unconventional angles of how an American citizen survived the night. There was a group of people using the purge as a source of income. There was also a group that actually paid a person to be killed. There was a family who just wanted to survive. There was a person who wanted revenge. There was also a group that was just performing their duty and there were also people who didn't have a choice. It was a movie, but it was the reality all along. How in every situation, the rich become richer, and how the poor suffer for their enjoyment. There was this scene where it shows the people who don’t have a home trying to survive the night by hiding. How can a citizen who just lives on paychecks acquire protection if they don’t want to participate? The news says that those who don’t want to participate should just stay at home, but even staying at home, being safe was a luxury. It happens all the time, even in our country, the government producing solutions thinking that people on the sidelines are irrelevant. It was a murder facade of freedom. They just wanted the praise of the people with money and power. It is the reality that is more frightening than any horror or thriller film. I like this thriller film because it shows the reality we are living in every day.
In a nutshell, the film was great; it could make you stop breathing for a second. It will also make you angry when some characters cause disturbances that could affect their lives. There’s this feeling that you want to help them, but you just can’t. And it was the purpose of a thriller film, so I concluded that the filmmaker did a great job visualizing the purge. I recommend watching the franchise series chronologically for a better understanding of the situation. The five franchise series were not released in sequence, possibly to keep viewers interested in how the situation unfolds.
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