The newest ‘Purge’ installment preys on political fears by showing the origins of the nightmarish event
As The Purge series has moved from entry to entry, the films have grown less subtle about what they’re trying to say. Perhaps this is necessary because clearly America has not been listening. While the original 2013 film only contained a light emphasis on notions of white privilege, The First Purge — the fourth film in the series — is a full-throated protest chant against Trumpian politics. This prequel isn’t particularly nuanced and flounders in its mission to explain how contemporary America came to legalize murder for 12 hours a year.
Using America’s current political climate as a springboard (including actual footage of protests in Charlottesville, Virginia; Ferguson, Missouri, and more), The First Purge suggests the rise of a third political party that advocates change through radical means. Based on the studies of an enterprising researcher, Dr. Updale (Marisa Tomei), it rolls out a ‘social experiment’ in Staten Island, New York. All crime is legal for 12 hours, allowing people to purge the anger built up by modern society.
The film follows three residents who choose to stay in the city once the experiment begins. In the lead up to the proper event, The First Purge just retreads worn ground. Very little is done to explain what science is backing Updale’s assertions, making it all the more inconsequential when it is revealed to be false. More time than usual is spent fleshing out the characters who we follow during the night, with minimal payoff.
But once the sun sets The First Purge is in its element. The earlier setting creates a more intimate tension among empty city streets, uncertain of present danger. While past Purge films have thrived on chaos, here it builds to a climax in a tornado of politically charged violence. Masked police officers beat a black man to death in a baseball stadium as “The Star Spangled Banner” rings in the background. The First Purge straddles a line between exploiting our current cultural moment and delivering an enlightened take on it. It is blunt and basic, matching today’s political discourse.
This marks the first Purge film directed by somebody other than series creator James Demarco (though he still scripted this installment). Director Gerard McMurray (Burning Sands) lends a vital authenticity to the film, while still delivering satisfying action sequences that live up to this series’ gory reputation. It’s all fairly cheap, splattered with digital blood. But McMurray understands the energy of a good fight sequence and delivers beyond his budget. The First Purge is a strong addition to a franchise that has stayed relevant longer than anyone would have expected. For better or worse, it is the movie America has earned.
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