The Purge
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If it sparks any kind of discourse about violence in society, I think thats a good thing.
If people just enjoy it, great, DeMonaco said of the first film back in 2013.
In DeMonacos world, every silver lining comes attached to massive storm clouds.
And willThe Purgecontinue to attempt to say something with its darkest timeline of America?
The series premiere suggests the answer is yes.
(See above re: resemblance to Trump, MAGA, etc.)
One of the cornerstones of their government is the Purge.
Currently, the series is weaving together three narrative stands.
On the bus, Penelope seems to be having some misgivings too.
We first meet her visiting her mother in a hospital, a Purge Night safe zone.
And though her mom asks her to stay, work beckons.
Theres no way these rivalries could find some kind of violent expression on Purge night, is there?
Theyre not that sort of people.
Theyre kind, they want to help others, and theyre definitely not rich.
Only, relatively speaking, they are, as their car service driver tells them.
They have the luxury of going somewhere safe.
He doesnt call it white privilege, but he might as well.
But Rick and Jenna might face a different sort of peril.
They risked their freedom because they knew the incredible, life changing, healing power of violence.
Now thats a party.
And so the long night begins.
(Unless I missed someone, the masked revelers are all white.)
Then there are those flashbacks, which suggest a deeper mystery set to emerge over future episodes.
Right now they look like good people caught in a bad situation, but are they?
Or is that just what they tell themselves to live with the compromises theyve made?
Janes storyline, on the other hand, starts exploring moral ambiguity from the jump.
On their way to the NFFA party, Rick and Jenna pass through streets that look like nowhere else.
Its an abandoned complex covered in the murals oflocal artist/activist Brandan Odums, a.k.a.
Dont worry, he assures her.
Its not for you.
Fiona Dourif plays the cult leader.
Good to see shes inherited his talent for playing charismatic weirdos.
