Now this is dedication.
After seeing 2013’s original The Purge (Rating: 3/5) a couple of years ago, yours truly decided to have a binge ‘in the name of film journalism’, by blitzing 2014’s The Purge: Anarchy (Rating: 3/5), 2016’s The Purge: Election Year (Rating: 3/5) and 2018’s The First Purge (Rating: 3/5) this week – in anticipation of the fifth instalment.
And what has been deduced from this? The franchise has continued to be a serviceably watchable horror-actioner – with neither one film better or worse than the other – that won’t linger in the memory for too long.
It seems like Elizabeth Mitchell’s President-in-waiting obviously didn’t manage to eradicate the once-a-year event – where murder is legal for a 12-hour period – after the events of Election Year, because the NFFA are back in power, as the dystopian movie heads to Texas.
This time round there are a few recognisable faces in the form of Josh Lucas’ (Poseidon) ranch owner Dylan (who has a pregnant wife), his father Caleb (Armageddon’s Will Patton), and a Mexican immigrant couple – Adela (Army of the Dead’s Ana de la Reguera) and Juan (Tenoch Huerta).
They all go on the run together when a new sect of lawless marauders – with the aim of ethnic-cleansing for the good of the nation – decide the annual Purge won’t stop at daybreak, but instead should go on indefinitely.
This leads to the expected shoot-outs/battle for survival as the posse of survivors aim to make the sanctuary of the Mexican border.
Which is all perfectly fine, and perfectly passable. But now five movies in there’s a saturation issue – and this can’t go on forever.
Or they’re gonna run out of tangible scenarios mighty soon.
ESP Rating: 3/5
Gavin Miller
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough
Cast: Ana De La Reguera, Josh Lucas, Tenoch Huerta, Leven Rambin, Cassidy Freeman, Alejandro Edda & Will Patton
Running Time: 1 Hr 43 Mins
Director: Everado Gout
Go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux