A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
very little
The ambiguous message of the first movie is gone, replaced with a more black-and-white idea: that, in this case, the end does not justify the means. The movie is anti-wealthy, suggesting that rich people's empathy toward other humans takes a back seat to their love of money and power; the poor people are the ones who suffer here. But people who help others are looked on favorably.
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Positive Role Models
very little
This sequel has more sympathetic characters than its predecessor, and it takes a sour view of those who participate in the purge. Good characters try to help others, even when it's inconvenient. A main character is bent on vengeance but learns that "an eye for an eye" doesn't really solve anything.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Many characters die, including major ones. Characters are beaten, shot, and stabbed. Many guns; bullets are fired. A great deal of blood is shown as bullets penetrate bodies. Women are stalked and treated roughly. A man threatens to rape two women but is stopped. Characters wear scary masks and stalk the good guys. Cars are set on fire and explode. Characters wield huge blades, fully automatic rifles, and flamethrowers. An injured man is run over by a vehicle. A couple argues and seems to be on the verge of breaking up.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Some brief but strong innuendo; a character refers to a man "sniffing her ass." A would-be rapist licks the side of a woman's face (disgusting more than erotic).
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Language
a lot
Strong language includes several uses of "f--k," "s--t," and "bitch," as well as "a--hole," "ass," "d--k," "Christ," and "godforsaken."
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
A man is shown drinking and drunk enough to be unsteady on his feet. (He later attempts to rape two women.) Another woman is shown drinking wine and taking pills, with the attempt to become drunk and/or high enough to get through the evening.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Purge: Anarchy is the sequel to 2013's low-budget horror hit The Purge. Set in the future, it depicts the annual 12-hour "purge," in which lawlessness prevails and people can do anything without repercussion; in exchange, this apparently makes the country a safer, stronger, and healthier place to live for the rest of the year. Violence is very strong, including use of guns, swords, flamethrowers, and other weapons, with many characters shot and killed, and much blood shown. Language is also strong, with several uses of "f--k," "s--t," and "bitch." Two women are treated roughly and are almost raped by a drunken man. A minor character drinks wine and takes pills in an effort to become drunk/high. This sequel is quite different from its predecessor; it's not a "home invasion" movie and features more sympathetic characters and a clearer message. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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Videos and Photos
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The Purge: AnarchyMovie Review 1:58
- The Purge: AnarchyOfficial trailer
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The Purge: Anarchy
Community Reviews
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- Parents say (14)
- Kids say (47)
age 14+
Based on 14 parent reviews
Charlie H. Adult
December 22, 2022
age 14+
An amazing premise falls short in more than one way in this movie!
My big question for not only this movie, but really the whole series is how does someone really mess up a movie series on such a good premise??? I love, love the premise of the whole Purge series, and it's because of that that got me to actually see the series in the first place . . . but as much as the premise is beautiful and interesting, the directors somehow screw the premise that the movie for the good premise turns out to be bad.So the first Purge movie I was okay about, and then I moved to see the Forever Purge which I felt like lost control of what they were doing, so when the 2nd Purge movie came to HBO Max I was excited to see it knowing I didn't have to rent it anymore, so of course when I found out it was on HBO Max I downloaded it and I watched it that very day I found it. But after being excited for seeing this, it got me questioning was the sequel even needed?For me, the best part about this is expanding (I feel like) more on understanding the Purge and what people do then. Because in the first movie in the series they didn't really show the purgining but in this one they did . . . and it's violent and brutal, and thank God we don't have it in real life. Anyway, that's like the best part about this movie besides being somewhat entertained on the killings. Besides that this movie is has no point to even exsist in the movie universe and in the Purge series.This movie felt like a bundle of, "I don't think they know what they're doing" type of thing because I think they actually think they kind of lost track on the movie. And let me just say the twists and turns did not shock me at the slightest due because how predictable they were/I knew they were coming!! I mean, I literally called it, and it happened. I mean, that tells me that I'm catching easily enough on how they use their twists and turns + I have seen these types of things in many of different other movies that I could pretty much see it coming a mile ahead!This movie struggled in a lot of ways to actually make a good enough plot to actually be interesting about. I felt like the plot was just whipped out of nowhere just so they could make a sequel, and not actuallt really putting time or effort to the plot. I mean, premise is the best part but it doesn't work if 90% of the movie doesn't work with the premise. It's either against or for . . . not middle ground, and sadly it fails miserable to do justice to the premise!Pretty much, this movie is a waste of my time, the casts (although, they were quite unmemorable), and the plot/theme itself, and I'm very disappointed on how the sequel turned out to be, because I was expecting just maybe a bit more than from the last Purge they recently made to the first one . . . and I just want to say, I am deeply unsatisfied on what I saw!
A99 Adult
August 9, 2021
age 14+
Don’t bother watching it.
Don’t bother to watch it. It was such a wasteful 1 hour of my life. Flat movie. Annoying characters. Fight scenes boring. Story boring. I like purge concept. But this one ain’t worth it.
Rate movie
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What's the Story?
A year after the previous event, Americans in the year 2023 prepare for THE PURGE: ANARCHY, a night of lawlessness, rampage, and murder that supposedly results in a healthier, happier nation. A waitress (Carmen Ejogo) and her spunky daughter (Zoe Soul) find themselves attacked in their own home. And a feuding couple (Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez) are stuck outside after their car breaks down. The vengeance-seeking tough guy (Frank Grillo) winds up rescuing the four of them, reluctantly agreeing to protect them, but remains intent on completing his violent plan. Who will survive when this night is over?
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (14):
Kids say (47):
Whereas the low-budget original The Purge focused on a stressful situation, this sequel seems to be more interested in sympathetic characters. But the ambiguous theme of the previous movie, the thought-provoking concept of whether the end justified the means, is now gone.
The Purge: Anarchy is more purely black-and-white in its thinking. Here, only rich, evil, greedy people participate in the purge. The movie brings up some surface platitudes about class inequality and pays homage to more inventive movies, but nothing ventures very deep. Upsetting the balance even more is the camera-shaking quality of James DeMonaco's direction. Any time a chase or a shootout is required, the movie simply turns to mush.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Purge: Anarchy's violence. What point is it trying to make? Does the movie celebrate or condemn violence?
Does the movie qualify as horror or a thriller? Is it scary? How is it different from or similar to other horror movies? How is it different from or similar to the original?
What's the movie's stance on the concept of "the purge"? What are the arguments for or against it?
Who are the leaders and followers in this movie? What attributes do they have? Are they admirable? Are they role models?
What good deeds are done in the movie? What is their end result?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 18, 2014
- On DVD or streaming: October 21, 2014
- Cast: Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford
- Director: James DeMonaco
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: Universal Pictures
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 103 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong disturbing violence, and for language
- Last updated: January 6, 2024
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