It’s been a decade since the very first installment in The Purge franchise was released, and with a sixth film currently in the works, it’s about time for its creator, James DeMonaco, to reflect on his legacy.
In an exclusive interview, the writer and director told We Got This Covered about the positives and negatives of The Purge movies, especially noting how they seem to have predicted the changing political climate of the United States. Among all his frustrations, though, DeMonaco still finds things to celebrate about the franchise, and when asked about favorites, the creator had a clear choice in mind:
“I think 2 came together in a way that… there was something in 2 that worked really nicely I thought, with the balance between propulsive genre action and horror and the political commentary was done metaphorically. It’s not too preachy. I think there’s some proselytizing I do later in the series that might have been a little over the top. I think 2 had a nice balance of the political and the genre element. So, yeah, 2 feels right.”
It’s hard to argue with this sentiment, and proof of that is how the franchise’s second installment is also regarded by fans as one of the best. Despite the first movie introducing the franchise’s concept, it was only in The Purge: Anarchy that fans truly got to witness the kind of wickedness that takes place in the streets during Purge Night. The movie also greatly expands on the political commentary from the first film, putting the viewers in the shoes of characters from low social-economical statuses, instead of wealthy protagonists able to lock themselves in during those dreaded 12 hours.
While explaining the reasons behind his favoritism, DeMonaco also opened up about how difficult it is for him to look at his own work with fresh eyes, pointing out The Purge: Anarchy as the exception:
“When I look back upon 2, it’s very funny. I was in the mix yesterday talking about how it’s very hard for me to look at my movies after I’m done. Because all I see is the mistakes. I don’t see the good. But there’s something, when I watch 2, when it’s on cable, I kind of enjoy it. Whereas it’s very hard for me to enjoy my past work in any way, shape, or form. So I would say 2.”
While Anarchy‘s success is undeniable, other Purge films are more than capable of holding their own on streaming platforms. After all, this wouldn’t be one of the biggest horror movie franchises in the world if the opposite was true.
