Since 2013, almost every July has seen a new film from the shockingly successful Purge franchise, adding a new layer of complexity to its story. The Purge (2013) started as a simple home invasion horror film, attracting audiences with big names like Michael Bay, Ethan Hawke, and Game of Thrones star Lena Headey.
At the time, we had no clue that the film would eventually blossom into four more sequels, a 21-episode series, and a combined $53 million franchise budget into a $450 million box office victory. The fifth film, The Forever Purge, was released recently, possibly signaling the end of The Purge series.
For those unfamiliar with the backstory of the Purge franchise, the United States government has decided that the most effective way to crack down on generalized crime is to make one night a year where all crime is legal, barring the use of specific weapons and the killing of highly ranked politicians (imagine that).
Throughout the franchise, each film has built onto the political backstory, eventually explaining that the Purge is essentially a way for the rich and powerful to dispose of the poor and weak. By the end of the fourth film (which is a prequel titled The First Purge), the story can be seen as an analogy to Ronald Reagan’s “War on Drugs” and the effect it had on inner-city populations living in poverty.
Where The First Purge explores the effect of poor inner-city population, The Forever Purge takes the viewers to the Southwest to highlight the impact on small towns and the Hispanic minority population included in them. The film focuses mostly on two duos, a Mexican couple, Juan (Tenoch Huerta) and Adela (Ana de la Reguera), and a white couple, Dylan (Josh Lucas) and Cassidy (Cassidy Freeman). Both couples are connected through work and have their cultural and racial differences, but they share a disdain for the Purge and must band together to survive it.
For me, the story of The Forever Purge takes it beyond where it has ever gone, and there’s no real turning back. Most of the film takes place after the annual Purge ends, as a nationally planned movement of domestic terrorists decides to continue the killing in an attempt to eradicate the nation of minorities. What was once a government-sanctioned allowance has now turned into a nationwide insurrection.
For someone decently invested in the political messaging in these films, making this decision took away the intensity of having a time barrier to follow. In previous films, the safety came with the end of the Purge, as long as our characters made it that far.
In The Forever Purge, the horror behind playing the waiting game felt subtracted, and the audience was just thrust into a full-on chaotic action film. I believe the Purge films have two main draws to them. One is the cool, villainous characters and their kills, and the other is the concept. I felt like this particular entry lacked in both categories.
RELATED: The History of Politics in Horror Movies
The acting was a good mix of newcomers and veterans. This was my first real look at Tenoch Huerta, and after seeing this, I am increasingly excited for his rumored role as Namor in the upcoming film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. I was also especially happy with a small but effective role from Will Patton (Armageddon, The Mothman Prophecies). Unfortunately, the characters just felt like they were caricatures of who they were. They did and said things that felt expected and unrealistic just to prove the story’s point.
My biggest issue with the film was the dialogue. It felt so ham-fisted, and some of the lines were poorly written. I certainly appreciated the politicizing of the story throughout the other films, as it has built up gradually, giving us subtle explanations as they continue. However, this film felt like they grabbed the camera and yelled, “THIS IS A POLITICAL ANALOGY” into the audience’s faces.
Environmentally, I think this was the best of the franchise. I’m a sucker for nature, and absorbing this concept in a less-suffocating environment worked extremely well for it. They’d been doing the city thing for three films before this; it was nice to have a changeup for at least most of this film by bringing it to a more rural desert location. Adding a different aesthetic can add a lot, especially to a franchise that is already five films deep. It was refreshing.
With this film’s direction and some of the wrap-up dialogue, it’s hard for me to imagine the franchise being milked for another sequel. Original director and writer James DeMonaco has apparently started working on a script for Purge 6, but nothing is set in stone. With the franchise essentially leaving the “Purge” itself, I don’t know where they can go that isn’t just your typical action survival film. I guess if it continues, I’ll certainly find out.
The Forever Purge is now in theaters.
We’re hardworking geeks who love to geek out, but we can’t do it without you! If you enjoyed this article and want to see more like it, please consider tipping our writers. Also, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
