The Purge: Anarchy

There’s a provocative concept behind The Purge and its inevitable sequel, The Purge: Anarchy, one that could prompt discussion on a range of hot-button political and social topics.

So while filmmaker James DeMonaco deserves credit for the cynically slick idea, it’s unfortunate that the original settled for conventional horror staples while the follow-up misses the mark with its more allegorical ambitions.

The set-up for the sequel is identical to the original film, taking place in the year 2023, when a reconstituted government has allotted 12 hours each year for any criminal activity to go unchallenged, including murder. It brings out the best and worst in human nature, with most folks taking shelter and others seeking thrills. The result decreases crime and relieves social ills for the rest of the year, claims the government.

While the first film took place almost entirely inside of a suburban house where a family was trying to shield itself from an attack, this installment takes the other perspective, showing the view from the streets. Most likely, a bigger budget makes such an approach more feasible.

At any rate, the film focuses on a handful of characters with different motives, who become unlikely allies amid the chaos around them. As the purge commences, a police sergeant (Frank Grillo) drives around searching for revenge for his murdered son. A man (Zach Gilford) and his wife (Kiele Sanchez) are forced to walk the streets after their car breaks down. And a waitress (Carmen Ejogo) and her daughter (Zoe Soul) are displaced after gunmen invade their home.

The result achieves some pretty tense moments, although they’re scattered between sequences of bloody violence that gradually become more brutal and visceral as the film progresses, without serving much purpose beyond empty spectacle.

DeMonaco’s screenplay doesn’t offer enough meaningful background on these characters to establish an emotional resonance — more specifically, whether the audience will care if they make it through the night — and they generally lack basic common sense from the outset.

The second time around, there’s not as much freshness to the premise, especially when it’s presented in exactly the same terms. But more than anything, The Purge: Anarchy needs more of a satirical edge to convey its intended social commentary, rather than emphasizing mindless gore as a likely concession to mainstream expectations.

Rated R, 103 minutes.