The issue with science fiction books or films that address the future with pessimism is that the imaginary stories tend to become reality faster than their authors expect. This does not prevent most science fiction creators today from imagining the apocalypse or post-apocalyptic worlds, societies dominated by violence or under the dictatorship of various kinds. Science-fiction has become almost synonymous with dystopia. The action movies series ‘The Purge’ belongs to this category. The first movie in the series came out on screen in 2013. The action of the second movie in the series, ‘The Purge: Anarchy‘, which I saw now, made in 2014, takes place in the America of 2023. The nightmare described in the film is generated by … elected politicians.
2023. Crime has been reduced to almost zero, unemployment is lower than ever. America seems to have solved its problems of law and order. The price? One night a year, for 12 hours, crimes of any kind are legal. The wealthy are barricaded in well-guarded houses, they even organize bloody orgies in which the victims belong to the categories who can not afford shelter and defense. Criminals kill each other or exercise their thirst for violence on victims selected among those who can be found in the streets. Most of the population supports this policy, legislated by politicians and encouraged by the government. The slogan of this ‘renewal’? ‘America Reborn’. The film’s heroes, a few people surprised by the yearly Purge on the streets, or who are thrown by circumstances in the midst of violence, will try to survive the night.
James DeMonaco, the creator of the series (three feature films and now also a television series) and the director of the film, wanted to create a good action thriller whose story is taking place in the near future. He has succeeded well, the story in this second film in the series has logic, editing is alert and the action scenes bind well. The actors team does not include any famous names, which has reduced costs and made the movie profitable since its first week, but all actors are well-chosen and act professionally. Beyond the pleasure of watching a well-done action movie, the idea of the movie is interesting and the questions put in the subtext are as real as possible. Can more violence solve the problem of violence? (a current question in an America where the right of every citizen to wear weapons is guaranteed by the Constitution). Can the lack of law and order, for a limited period of time, solve the endemic problem of law and order? Of course, what’s happening in the movie is a metaphor, but the questions are as actual as possible. This good dystopian action movie succeeds to be more than it aimed to be.