The Purge: Election Year (2016)
The 3rd film sees Charlie (Elizabeth Mitchell of ‘V‘ and ‘Lost’) running for POTUS on a pledge to abolish the purge. Is it meant to be 2040 in this film? Mean teenagers harass a convenience store owner. The purge is not morally defensible but some people enjoy it and don’t want to give it up. For others, it causes great anxiety. Leo (Frank Grillo) the angry dude from the 2nd film is alive and unwashed looking. He’s now a Secret Service agent for Charlie. He lurks looking scruffy.
The convenience store owner decides to protect his shop himself. The population prepares to endure chaos as purge night approaches. What are the economic consequences of purge night? South Africans come to the USA as murder tourists. Some Secret Service agents stay outside during purge night. Two women drive a triage van around on purge night to help the injured.
There is no immunity for anyone tonight and a feverish atmosphere as people want Charlie dead. Even one of her employees (Ethan Phillips of ‘Star Trek: Voyager) is part of it. This was good if self-parodic. There is an intensifying sense of a country hopelessly divided. Where is her campaign staff? People set up a guillotine on a street and more people set up a swinging pendulum blade on another street. Where do they get this stuff? A car drives around with 3 people tied to it. Why do people wear masks if all crime is legal?
The Lincoln Memorial is defaced with blood, bodies and burning stuff. A snotty girl and her friends drive around in cars covered in Christmas lights. They dressed like strippers and tote pimped out guns. What is keeping their slutwear on? There is bad acting and not many impressive performances in this. Charlie may be a once-in-a-generation shot at ending the purge. There are guns and unsavoury company chase Charlie.
This is logically inconsistent and Charlie agitates for rule changes even as people try to kill her. Will the New Founding Fathers be jettisoned? Leo built an escape tunnel into Charlie’s home? Mystifying and malicious falsehoods are told. Leo waves a tiny knife as mad and mendacious people attack. Tattooed Nazis run around. Dire decisions are made and people mind dreadfully about their various causes.
Things teeter on the brink of disaster. Those discarded and forgotten by the establishment face the wrath of the powerful and privileged. Charlie sticks to her principles amidst a cacophony of violence. Charlie really does wish to lead the country with inspiration and courage and renew hope and create opportunity. The plight of those suffering the profound consequences of the purge goes on. There is a bomb and fire and a country in its death throes. A van drives around clearing away the dead bodies of purge victims.
Charlie is a Senator. A drone flies. People make major errors and utter well-intentioned dialogue. This is a crucial night of decision making. People dressed like the Founding Fathers wave axes. Angry South Africans attack. Danger is frustratingly common. Nastiness is visible. Charlie and co team up with gang members. Leo the hardcase gets shot, again.
This is better than the 2nd film. This is an important cultural moment. Well meaning people make incessant suggestions. Joe the shopkeeper sadly dies. This was highly effective. This was highly effective and it had noble ambitions. The New Founding Fathers have consolidated an environment of despair. The triage van operates as part of an underground hospital on purge night. They aim to help those who are victims of disgraceful behaviour. Has it been 17 years since the 2nd film? Leo and the anti-purge protestor haven’t aged.
This is entertainingly cruel. The New Founding Fathers are in unethical territory. There is unapologetically ugliness. Social expectations and ideals have been warped by the purge. Not all people treat the purge with total dismay and immense anger. The New Founding Fathers have dabbled in respectability. Leo has rigid self-containment. People have moral opposition to the purge being abolished. Will there be meaningful change under Charlie?
Where are the other triage vans? Painfully obvious baddies have no rational reasoning. This ends in a morass of guns and violence. This ends in irritating and fascinating fashion. Everyone is a cultural mercenary. Charlie becomes POTUS and the pro-purge people start a country wide riot.
Best Lines:
“That’s a nasty woman.”
“Raised the premium on my purge coverage.”
“No purge coverage.”
“I’m protected and you won’t be.”
“See what happens.”
“It’s purge night! You don’t creep up on black people!”
“I like sitting.”
“Took care of my mom and dad tonight!”
“Someone is coming for you!”
“Purging didn’t make feel feel any better like they said it would.”
“Before the crazies do.”
“Purge victim removal and disposal.”
“It’s very necessary.”
“Got a record.”
“Not here.”
“You give people from the neighbourhood a bad name.”
“A safe zone.”
“As safe as you can be on purge night.”
“Run! Fast!”
~
Lucky Jim (1957)
This features ‘zany’ goings on in a university. Students and lecturers seem to be on all-day benders. There is increasingly erratic behaviour. Reputations are at a low ebb. This was disastrous, joyless and not full of gags.
Best Lines:
“I don’t want any coco!”
“Among decent people.”
“Melodramatic trip.”
“Fall down the stairs.”
“Given up men.”
“What’s she going in for now?”
“Where did you go to school?”
~
Curse Of The Crimson Altar (1968)
Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee star alongside Barbara Steele in this lurid tale of witches populated by selfish and dim characters. This is sleazy. The locals in a small town celebrate an infamous long dead witch. The hero dreams about being meanced by a man in tiny rubber pants. This was silly. Was Christopher Lee a nut who thought he was a warlock or was the dead witch haunting the house?
Best Lines:
“The devil is not exactly noted for his sense of humour.”
“I believe the dead stay dead.”
~
A Simple Plan (1998)
No.
~
Weekend At Bernie’s (1989)
Laugh-free.
