The Purge: Anarchy
Purge 2 is what passes for a profound-smart movie, but doesn't quite
make it in that department. It doesn't even come close. When a
movie tries so hard and messes up its own message, plot and concept,
it just makes it worst. It does get points for digging deeper into
the world of the first movie tried to creature. It works when it
uses that concept. However, the movie completely loses interest in
its own concept and switches gears at least three times to something
completely different. So, there are two gaping problems in the movie
that make the movie look amateurish.
The story comprises different groups left out during Purge night when
everyone is allowed to cause acts of violence against anyone else.
It's a green card for killing each year. All the “good guy”
groups get together and fight through way through Purge night, or at
least that what the original concept was before the movie changes its
mind.
Let's talk about the good points...
First off, Frank
Grillo is very good as the anti-hero/hero. I really liked his
character. He's basically channeling Snake from the Escape from New
York movie. He's prepared for battle during the Purge. He has the
right weapons and equipment. And, his character works for that
reason.
Second, the concept of the Purge, while extremely flawed, does work
for the first act of the movie on a basic zombie level. You have a
group of people trying to survive the night from mobs of killers just
like a zombie movie or and an end of the world movie. It's too bad
the writer/director loses interest in the fight or flight movie by
the end of the second and beginning of third act.
Why not keep making the story from the first act?
While the notion or idea of the Purge is an interesting one, Star
Trek did an episode with this concept back in the 60s, the manner the
movie and the writer make people act out to be is completely wrong.
People seem to turn into blood thirsty murders once the Purge clocks
in. It seems ALL rich people are instantly killers once the Purge
starts and some of your fellow co-workers are creepy assholes that
want to do horrible things to you. Would a lot of people partake in
the Purge like this movie tries
This is a huge problem with the movie. Every “bad” character
loves the Purge and feels like it cleanses them in almost a religious
fashion. They come across as cartoon characters. And, it sort of
cheapens the overall concept of this violent movie.
Generally, people are good until they need something or their life is
on the line. People aren't going to start killing and hunting down
people to fulfill their blood lust, not in a massive manner like the
world of the Purge tries to convey. It is a little bit too far for
me to deal with. And, it gets more silly when the rich people start
to get involved.
Heck, I get upset when I have to honk at someone.
It is at this point the movie takes a left turn and shifts to a
different movie. The zombie like movie turns into a darn first
person shooter. The rich people gather up people from the Purge and
hunt them down. This is a different movie entirely and it doesn't
mesh with the rest of the movie. It felt like the writer/director
wanted to shoehorn a message into the movie involving these rich
people hunting down normal people. However, why abandon your other
concept/message involving the government hunting down people and
using the Purge as a cleaning tool?
Then, it gets even sillier when one character changes on a dime and
wants to “purge”. Despite all the problems this character has, I
can't see her change into a purge-person. It almost made me want to
turn off the movie.
Then, the movie changes again into a moral story about revenge, which
seemed to be part of the first act's storyline. Why introduce the
rich people story then?
The Purge 2 has a few things going for it, like showing us what
happens outside, but it loses interest in its own concept in order to
shoehorn in another message/story that should have waited for sequel
instead. The Purge movies want to be profound, but they feel like
someone trying too hard to be profound. This is is frustrating with
it shifts in storyline. Stick with your interesting concept. The
way people behave in the movie isn't believable even in the world of
the movie.
Grade: C-
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