The Purge is kind of an aberration in the 2010s horror franchise scene.
Amidst The Conjuring, Insidious, and the tail end of the Paranormal Activity series – all of the supernatural horror persuasion – The Purge really stands out. It’s a dystopian sci-fi horror action series, that kicked off with an excellent high-concept home invasion thriller in 2013 – it couldn’t be further removed, aesthetically or thematically, from the run of huge horror hits of the 2010s. And yet, it’s made a huge impact on the world of horror, and, with a sixth entry into the film canon in the works, it’s showing no signs of going anywhere anytime soon.
I think one of the reasons The Purge has been such a huge success is just because of the incredible potential of that premise. Created by James DeMonaco (who wrote and directed the first three movies), the concept of a near-future America where all crime is legalized for one night of the year is so rich as to feel like it could never have been contained by that first movie alone. 2013’s The Purge is a very strong proof of concept, a small-scale take on what would become a more sprawling cinematic universe – it’s an excellent home invasion thriller in it’s own right, but the promise of what else was going on out there on Purge Night (and exactly why it had come to be in the first place) was incredibly tantalizing.
And I really think DeMonaco delivered on the promise of that premise in the following couple of movies. The Purge films balance tense action and human horror with a strong throughline about the political drivers behind the existence of the Purge itself – Election Year is my personal favourite of this initial trilogy, the mix of on-the-ground survival that underlines why keeping the anti-Purge candidate is so important. Frank Grillo as Leo Barnes across this trilogy is a total treat, a fun twist on the usual horror leading men that taps into his action background. The other two movies, The Forever Purge and the First Purge, don’t have the same urgency and sense of momentum as the original trilogy, but I still feel like they fill out the world in a moderately interesting way.
The TV show, I feel, is very unfairly maligned, and actually does a great job expanding on the ideas the movies tap into – the longer runtime gives more space to really delve into these characters, their motivations, and how they clash with each other, and it’s rich with political commentary about the state of America.
Because, fundamentally, that’s what the broader franchise is about: when presented with lawlessness, what do these people do? What grudges do they follow up on, what simmering anger do they indulge, what prejudices do they bring to their violent conclusion? The politics of The Purge are inescapable, and they’re present across every one of these movies – whether they deal with class, race, or gender, they’re at the forefront of what drives these characters and their antagonists, and I’m glad the franchise doesn’t try to dodge them, indulging in pointed commentary about America and where it stands at the release of each new movie.
And that twisted Americana has helped The Purge develop a really specific and unique aesthetic. Most horror movies have maybe an iconic villain or location, but The Purge has a distinctive and instantly-recognizable look to it’s whole universe. The neon piping, the symbols of American history re-purposed as masks and disguises for perpetrators to hide behind – I love the way it looks, and the way it uses those distinctive aesthetics to create a fully-filled-out world.
I have a huge soft spot for The Purge series, especially the TV show, which is far too underrated for my liking. What do you think of the Purge franchise? Are you fan of the blend of action-horror, or are you sticking with the supernatural stuff? Let me know in the comments below!
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By Lou MacGregor
(header image via SyFy)
No But Listen 