Honestly, it’s kinda wild looking back at 2016. When The Purge: Election Year hit theaters, it felt like a fun, slightly over-the-top B-movie. Fast forward a decade, and that third installment in the franchise feels less like a popcorn flick and more like a bizarrely accurate time capsule. If you haven't revisited it lately, you're missing out on how the series actually found its soul by leaning into pure political chaos.
The movie follows Senator Charlie Roan, played by Elizabeth Mitchell. She’s a survivor. Years ago, she watched her family get slaughtered on Purge Night, and now she’s running for President on a platform to end the annual 12-hour lawlessness once and for all. Of course, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) aren’t just going to let her win. They decide to revoke the immunity usually granted to high-ranking government officials. Basically, it’s open season on the front-runner.
What Most People Get Wrong About The Purge: Election Year
There’s this common misconception that the Purge movies are just about masked lunatics running around with chainsaws. While there is plenty of that—trust me, the "Candy Girl" and her light-up car are nightmare fuel—the third movie is actually where the world-building gets serious. It’s the moment the franchise stopped being about a home invasion or a random street survival story and started being about how systems of power use violence to stay in charge.
James DeMonaco, the guy who wrote and directed the first three films, really dialed into the idea of "Murder Tourism." That’s one of those specific details that makes the movie feel gritty and lived-in. In the film, people from all over the world fly into D.C. just to participate in the carnage. It’s a cynical, dark take on American exceptionalism. You've got these "patriots" claiming the Purge is a religious rite, while the rest of the world watches or joins in like it's a theme park.
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Frank Grillo and the Shift to Action-Horror
Leo Barnes is back. If you remember The Purge: Anarchy, Leo was the grieving father looking for revenge. Now, he’s the head of security for Senator Roan. Frank Grillo brings this exhausted, "I'm too old for this" energy that makes the movie work. He’s not a superhero. He’s a guy with a handgun and a tactical vest trying to keep a politician alive in a city that wants her dead.
The chemistry between Grillo and Mitchell is actually pretty decent for a horror movie. It gives the stakes some weight. When they’re forced out of their secure bunker because of a betrayal—classic movie trope, I know—they end up in a deli owned by Joe Dixon, played by Mykelti Williamson. This is where the movie gets its heart. You see the community defending their own, showing that while the government wants people to kill each other, regular folks are just trying to protect their livelihoods.
The NFFA and the Religious Cult of Violence
One thing that doesn't get talked about enough is how the movie portrays the NFFA. They aren't just a political party; they're a cult. The climax of the film takes place in a cathedral. It’s disturbing. You have "Minister" Edwidge Owens leading a ritualistic sacrifice to "purge" the sins of the nation. It’s heavy-handed, sure, but in a genre known for being subtle as a sledgehammer, it fits perfectly.
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The film makes a very blunt point about who the Purge actually targets. It’s not the rich. It’s the poor and the marginalized. The movie shows how the NFFA uses the night to "trim the fat" from the welfare system. It’s a dark, Malthusian nightmare that feels uncomfortably close to home when you look at real-world debates over social safety nets.
The Budget vs. The Box Office
Look at the numbers because they are genuinely impressive for a horror sequel.
- Budget: Roughly $10 million.
- Global Box Office: Over $118 million.
- Release Date: July 1, 2016.
That’s a massive return on investment. Universal Pictures and Blumhouse hit a goldmine with this one because it tapped into the collective anxiety of an actual election year. Even though it has a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics often missed the point that the audience wasn't there for a masterpiece—they were there for the "B-movie thrills" that Mashable and other outlets eventually acknowledged.
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Realism and Stylized Chaos
The visual style is distinct. It’s got that jiggly, handheld digital look that was popular in the 2010s, but here it adds to the disorientation of being on the streets of D.C. at 3:00 AM. One of the most iconic scenes is the "Candy Girl" sequence. A group of teenage girls in blood-soaked prom dresses try to break into Joe’s deli because he didn't let them shoplift a candy bar earlier. It’s absurd. It’s violent. But it captures that weird "Lord of the Flies" energy that the series thrives on.
Then you have Laney Rucker, played by Betty Gabriel. She drives an "ambulance" around the city, treating the wounded. She’s a legend in the neighborhood, known as "Le Pequene Muerte" from her younger days. Having characters who have a history within this world makes it feel less like a movie and more like a real place with its own folklore.
Practical Steps for Movie Buffs
If you’re planning a rewatch or diving in for the first time, keep a few things in mind to get the most out of the experience. The franchise doesn't end here, and knowing where this fits in the timeline helps.
- Watch in Order: While The First Purge is a prequel, you should definitely watch Anarchy before Election Year. Leo Barnes’ character arc doesn't make much sense without it.
- Look for the Symbolism: Pay attention to the masks. In this film, they move away from the "creepy smiley faces" and toward historical and political icons, like Uncle Sam and Abraham Lincoln. It's a deliberate choice.
- Check Out the TV Series: If you dig the world-building in this movie, there’s a two-season TV show that explores what happens during the other 364 days of the year.
- Compare the Rhetoric: If you’re feeling brave, look at the campaign posters in the background of the movie and compare them to real 2016 campaign slogans. The "Keep America Great" line was actually used in the movie before it became a real-world political staple.
The movie ends on a somewhat hopeful note—the Purge is supposedly over—but the final shots of civil unrest suggest that you can’t just turn off a culture of violence with a vote. It’s a cynical ending that perfectly mirrors the complexity of the world we’re still living in.
To really appreciate the craft here, pay attention to the sound design. The sirens that start and end the Purge are iconic now, but in this film, they feel heavier. They represent the weight of a system that has finally pushed the people too far. Whether you view it as a political statement or just a solid action-horror flick, there’s no denying that this movie left a mark on the genre.