American Nightmare 2: Anarchy

Much better could ever expect! Originally saw in the theater I just wasn't reviewing then, happily enjoying this glorious action/thriller with lots of great madness and creepy gestures. James DeManco's Purge films might not be appreciated much but Anarchy, Election Year and his writing for The Negotiator is so damn good! Such a great concept that is perfectly executed in this adaptation.

Am another person who didn't care at all for 'The Purge' from 2013. It wasn't completely unwatchable with a couple of reasonable performances and decent production values but was so tension and suspense-free and full of irritating characters, illogical character behaviours, a dull pace, a cheesy script and tired clichés.

Had seen and heard numerous times people saying that 'The Purge: Anarchy' was a much better film. Will admit that due to disliking 'The Purge' so much, part of me was very unsure as to whether to watch 'The Purge: Anarchy' and very nearly didn't watch it. To be fair though, decided to watch it and found it not to be a waste of time at all, it is a second film that stands well on its own and doesn't try to be more of the same and instead be different from the predecessor. Am in complete agreement with those saying that this is the far superior film, while thinking that it was still flawed and not too great.

'The Purge: Anarchy' has a lot of good things. The story execution is much better this time round, it's more eventful, is tighter paced, is intriguing and has some creepy atmosphere and suspense. The acting is also better, with a formidable Frank Grillo leading the cast with aplomb.

Less irritating characters here too, generally the characters are easier to relate to and are not as shallow, their behaviour also makes more sense and induces less face palms. There are unsettling moments here, some fun ones and some intriguing ones. It's assuredly directed and the slick and gritty visual look remains, its effort to be larger in scale in terms of ideas and narrative and have more going on is laudable.

However, 'The Purge: Anarchy' is still heavily flawed. The dialogue is still enough to make one cringe and just sounds so fatigued, stilted and without any imagination. The social commentary and rich vs poor aspects are dealt with in a heavy-handed way and the effects are shoddy and do look fake.

Character development is very flimsy and 'The Purge: Anarchy' still has a few characters that frustrate (especially the annoying Cali, with Zoe Soul giving the only "bad" performance), not much imaginative or surprising and the clichés every bit as tired. There are some parts that feel like they're stretched out too far, the ending doesn't finish the film with a bang as much as one would hope.

Reading those criticisms, one would think that 'The Purge: Anarchy' is a bad film. Unlike 'The Purge', it is not. It's problematic and is not a great film, but overall it's decent enough and has a good deal in its favour with things that were bad previously corrected. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Here is how I see it. The second installment (to what promises to be a yearly occurrence) of the Purge was a lot better than the first. But it isn't because The Purge: Anarchy is a significant film. It's because Writer/Director James DeMonaco is finally able to incorporate the underlying theme of class hierarchy that was completely misguided in its predecessor.

The big mistake with the first film was making it a trite home invasion thriller. With Anarchy, we explore the outside world during the 6th annual Purge, and it proves, without a doubt, to be ten times more thrilling and suspenseful. We see the nut cases in freaky masks (one with GOD written on it) wielding their weapons of choice. We see the upper class citizens holding each others hands reciting the "New Founding Fathers" motto that feels like some satanic cult. In our seats, we feel that we have to look around all at times, because there could be a killer ahead or behind us.

There are three revolving stories of people who are entering the night. One is Eva and Cali, a waitress and her daughter. There is Shane and Liz, a crumbling couple with no killer instincts at all. And then there is Leo, the sergeant, the "kick ass and take names" guy. Leo is out to revenge Purge. The others find themselves wandering the street. Leo winds up having to protect them. Will his generosity effect his main goal? Can Leo really save everyone? Frank Gillo makes for a very convincing and likable hero. While we watch and the story unfolds, we learn that The Purge, and its purgers, aren't so much anarchic as they are regulated.

With it's unique premise the Purge is always able to separate itself from the average horror/thriller film. Most importantly, Anarchy is a step up because it realizes its potential to be truly scary from the realism of its "legal murder" concept; rather than just bludgeoning people left and right. Unlike the first film, your instinctive fascination with such a nightmare concept will multiply here, not diminish or turn into a laughing stock.

I can recommend Purge Anarchy. Not only does it save what looked to be a profitable franchise, but it is a decent film too.

I almost didn't bother with this sequel . The first movie was close but no cigar down to rather lazy and ill thought plotting and since this movie was also written and directed by James DeMonaco we'd be getting more of the same except this time with an inferior and unknown cast . That said one thing that really intrigued me was the large shift in positive votes . The first movie had an average vote of 5.6 while its sequel had an average vote of 6.5 along with many of the comments stating just how different it was from the original film , a film which incidentally could hardly have been called original itself

The only real criticism I can level at TPA is that it's rather derivative and owes a lot to Anabasis by Xenophon , a very old story that Walter Hill made a career out of reworking and which recent Brit thriller '71 made use of . A good story never grows old whether you're a Greek army trapped behind enemy lines in 400 BC or a young couple trapped in a city centre where the laws of the jungle are about to be enforced the dilemmas facing the protagonists remain the same

I had to double check a couple of times to check if there were two different writer/directors called James DeMonaco because I had hard task to believe the film maker who wasted so much potential in the first movie was the same one who crafted this heart stopping thriller . Everything wrong with THE PURGE is corrected here . Gone are the idiotic choices characters make and in their place are simple acts of misfortunes . Okay some bits seem a little contrived such as cars breaking down at the most inopportune moment but it's the same sort of cinematic convention you see in every /any thriller or horror movie . The characters are unlucky rather than out and out dumb and boy does misfortune have it in for these characters that you actually get to care about

Another massive improvement is that you can almost believe this scenario might take place one day . I say almost because it's something of a stretch thinking Pat Robertson might be American president but this would be his ideal Utopian view of America and TPA does play up to all the more extreme elements of an outsiders view of America , gun culture , red necks ,the radical Christian right , rabid nationalism and corporate greed where money can buy you absolutely anything , all summed up by a very effective montage sequence at the closing credits . The politics of the film are not subtle but are superbly well done . There's perhaps a danger of taking it all this too seriously but TPA does deserve some credit for bringing this to our attention and wears its heart on its sleeve as to what's wrong at the heart of America

And so ends one of these very rare films - a sequel that surpasses the original and by a wide margin too . Okay let's be honest and confess THE PURGE was no great shakes but TPA is one the most effective and thought provoking thrillers I've seen Hollywood produce in a very long time and after seeing THE PURGE I thought I'd never say this but I am really looking forward to THE PURGE 3 when it's released next year

In The Purge Anarchy the new founding fathers sanction another murderous cleanse.

The Purge Anarchy revisits the gruesome dystopia in the not so distant future where for twelve hours all sanctioned crime is legal and all rescue services are suspended. The nation is reborn, unemployment and crime are at record lows, all because of the annual night for decriminalized murder to unleash pent up American rage.

Five virtual strangers join together to survive when, after several unrelated but harrowing events, all find themselves on the street and in jeopardy on purge night. There is no security system, minimal defense and there is little hope.

Despite being marketed as a horror film The Purge Anarchy feels more like a thriller. The potential for a despicable act of inhumanity is imminent and occurs frequently throughout the film. Yet, its display is the antithesis of a masturbatory gore fest relishing in the suffering, evocative of torture-porn. Instead, the brutality is appropriately out of focus in the background, almost as an afterthought, consistent with the desensitized society.

The approach of James DeMonaco's direction is on point with the message of the film. He creates a disconcerting feeling with a deserted cityscape, seemingly lit at night by flickering yellow streetlights casting shrouded shadows. Certain scenes are realistically and deliberately shaky and imperfect to draw the audience into the character's peril.

One can not talk about a second installment to a franchise without returning to its predecessor, in this case The Purge. Acclaimed as a novel premise and potentially unsettling look into the primal aspect of human nature, it left something to be desired. The story had so many places it could go that were raw and savage; yet, The Purge was slightly simplistic and flawed but still enjoyable. Once again James DeMonaco took the helm as writer and director of The Purge's sequel Anarchy. This time DeMonaco's execution was able to address criticisms by delving further into concept, but from a different perspective: the working class. In doing so we see a harsher existence, far less idealistic and a more depraved purge night.

The difference between The Purge and The Purge Anarchy is that the active tormenters for this purge are not all unhinged closeted maniacs hiding behind masks. Anarchy takes the end of The Purge and goes more in-depth. Those participating are frustrated and exhausted but ultimately they are people. Most terrifyingly it proposes a hypothetical and disturbingly feasible purge experience for the upper class. The nefarious top 10% obligingly exercise their civic responsibility and now government granted right in style and comfort. The Purge Anarchy is a commentary on society and social inequality in the most gruesome of circumstances.

The film's ability to play into our inner fears, that deep within anyone there is a darkness capable of unspeakable evil, is pivotal to its success. While I wish The Purge Anarchy hadn't tried to tidy the story up and resolve everything I did find it far more realistic and thought provoking than the former.

More reviews of recent releases can be found at our website.