The Purge: Election Year (2016)

"The Purge: Election Year" stars Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson, and Joseph Julian Soria.  Released on July 1, 2016, the film has a bodyguard protecting a Senator from ruthless criminals during the 23rd annual Purge.

The film is directed by James DeMonaco, who also directed Staten Island and the first two Purge movies, and it is the third installment in The Purge film series.  The first film in the series, The Purge, was a commercial success at the box office despite receiving poor reviews.  The Purge: Anarchy was released a year after, fixing the problems that its predecessor had, mostly on the concept.  So now we have a new chapter in this violent horror trilogy which promises that the Purge will, in fact, be gone for good.  I'm not a big fan of these films, but I did find Anarchy enjoyable.  I heard plenty of good things about this latest installment, as usual, and I couldn't resist checking it out for myself.  With that in mind, does this horror three-quel really live up to people's expectations like its predecessor?

Pros:
Decent performances.

Its social and political themes worked well with its concept.

Jump scares and creepy moments were somehow effective.

Good characters.

Cons:
Predictable, yet engaging, storyline.

A couple of moments felt a bit dumb.

The film's violent nature might leave first-time viewers and young kids uncomfortable.  Seriously, don't bring your kids to see this film.

Final thoughts: Deeply violent, but also well-themed, "The Purge: Election Year" brings the latest horror franchise to a possible conclusion (unless there's a Purge 4 coming our way).  There were plenty of good things that I believe will impress the fans of the Purge film series, but for first-time viewers or those who felt uncomfortable with the amount of R-rated violence, it's better for them to lock themselves in until dawn.  As for me, I didn't like the film entirely, but I have to admit that I was entertained at how far this horror franchise has come that started three years ago.  Like I said before, if you like the Purge movies, this one is worth watching, and remember, keep America great (by not doing the Purge).

C+