The Purge: Election Year (2016) Dir: James DeMonaco
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This dystopian horror franchise is one that doesn't necessarily get good ratings, but always entertains those who go to see them. This third film, once again directed by James DeMonaco, did have lower ratings than the previous two films, but I felt like the entertainment value would still make it worth my while.
I really like that the focus of these films has shifted more towards working class characters as they've progressed. It feels so much more relatable and compelling than, say, the first film was. That said, the protagonists this time around definitely weren't as compelling as I'd hoped. This film felt significantly more carried by its action than the prior two films.
Visually, the film isn't that impressive, however, there are a few well-shot scenes - most of them one-offs. The imagery of them was good, even if it was a little overboard on the gruesomeness. Then again, nothing about this franchise is particularly subtle.
The story was definitely the weakest of the franchise so far. I did enjoy the action, but, as I said before, the film was far too reliant on those moments. The various narrative arcs weren't enough for me, particularly the subplots, which were as weak as water.
Elizabeth Mitchell gave a pretty decent account of herself in this starring role. I thought she felt consistent throughout the film, and felt like a believable character, in some respects. I also thought her chemistry with her co-star, who I'll mention in a moment, was very good.
Said co-star; Frank Grillo, returned to the franchise, but his character had basically no character development, with his arc essentially being completed in his prior appearance. This was definitely a shame, but I can't really fault his performance too much - it was as solid as the previous time around.
In regards to the supporting cast, I think it was pretty clear that Mykelti Williamson gave the best performance. That said, I also enjoyed the acting of Betty Gabriel, J. J. Soria, Edwin Hodge, Raymond J. Barry and Kyle Secor, for the most part. None of their performances were world-beating, but they were certainly passable.
Overall, this was definitely the weakest 'Purge' film so far, but I still enjoyed it. I think it lacked some of the personal stakes of the first two films, but the action was solid, and it kept a decent pace to it. I've never been bored watching any of these films so far, that's for sure.
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