The Purge 2: Anarchy ***

The thing that kept the tension wound tight in The Purge (2013) was everything being contained within a comfortable four walls, feeding on our deepest fears of being under siege in a safe environment; our home. Returning writer-director James DeMonaco now taps into the other fear that the first film triggers: What would happen if you were outside during the Purge? It’s the same idea of fighting for survival but a lot more scope is available to the film-maker this time.

It’s a few hours until lockdown and the annual Purge begins. Those who don’t want to partake in a free-for-all ‘cleansing’ of the streets should bolt down the hatches. Those who do should get ready to go out on the hunt. The Purge finally arrives. However, Eva (Carmen Ejogo) and her teenage daughter Cali (Zoë Soul) find their night of refuge at home is violently interrupted when a ‘hit squad’ storm their building looking for Purge prey for a mysterious wealthy client. On escaping, they run into an armed man with a grudge (Frank Grillo) who agrees to protect them if they get him transport. Meanwhile, young couple Shane (Zach Gilford) and Liz (Kiele Sanchez) breakdown on the edge of the city. On the run from a masked gang, they run into Eva and co. United, they all try to stay alive until the siren sounds the end next morning.

The Purge: Anarchy title suggests a terrifying, lawless utopia for 24 hours before the sun rises, where anything is game and nightmares lurk around every shadowy corner. DeMonaco has every opportunity to really feed the primal fear that legalised criminality would breed in a civilised society. However, it all feels a little too restricted in the menace department – there could have been a far greater and darker onslaught.

That said the exploitation of power is still very much the vile catalyst and main vein pulsing throughout to both wonder at and deplore. This time, in addition to armed masked people, there are sinister hit squads verses an underground rebellion. It feels similar in ideology to other futuristic thrillers like Total Recall in that some class-war, survival game is at play, so there’s a healthy a sense of heightened anticipation to be had.

DeMonaco thankfully doesn’t use such recognisable names this time, as he did in the first, far slicker-styled film starring Ethan Hawke and Lena Heady, making these characters’ experiences seem more gritty and accessible in a ‘near future’. There are some commendable performances too, from The Grey’s Grillo merging as a yet untapped and intriguing leading talent in such an anti-hero/protector role. Ejogo makes a convincing wing woman in this, a combination of vulnerability and inner stamina.

As for the actual purge, there’s playful carnage and squelching sound effects to be thrilled by, climaxing in a gaming arena finale of ‘haves and have-nots’ that will stir any revolutionary tendencies within. As with all such films, it has to end on some sort of restoration of order for sanity’s sake, but just for 103 minutes you get a real sense of disarray – uncanny, given today’s uncertain world events. Altogether, The Purge; Anarchy is effective in this sense but could have been a whole lot more frightening.

3/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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