Photo Credit: Dread Central I've always been a fan or the horror and thriller genres, as you will quickly learn if you become a regular on this page of my blog. One series I really enjoyed is the Purge Series. But, when I saw the First Purge, which hit theaters in my area only about a month ago, I was kind of taken aback by a few things, so I figured I'd share my opinion of the movie with you. So first, if you haven't seen the movie, I suggest you watch the trailer for it, so I'll leave it linked below. THE PLOTThe First Purge follows mainly Isaiah and his sister, an outspoken activist very much against the Purge, who must get through the night without dying. The people who live on Staten Island are encouraged to take part in an experiment called the Purge or stay on the island. The experiment was the brainchild of a psychologist who said that studies show that releasing anger can help reduce crime. Those who stay on the island are promised a cash reward, and the rewards keep coming if they choose to partake in the night. Isaiah starts to sell drugs for an old friend who once had a romantic relationship with his sister. She finds out and of course is angry. It turns out, Isaiah just wanted to help pay the bills. So, he decides to sign up for the Purge to release his anger and to get some money from the government. As the Purge commences, Isaiah and his sister find themselves being chased by an insane drug addict, groped by a man in a sewer, and all kinds of horrifying things. That's the main plot of the movie. I suggest if you haven't watched it and are going to watch it, you stop reading until you see the film, because the next part will go into more detail about the movie, and spoilers will be included. Photo Credit: The Verge SPOILING THE PLOTBasically, the Purge was just meant to be an experiment to see if people would participate in such a night. However, when one of the spokespeople who works closely with the New Founding Fathers, decides to take matters into his own hands when people don't seem to be participating. Angry when he sees drone footage of people partying in the streets during the experiment, the man calls in mercenaries, KKK members, and other fiendish groups to incite violence. During one scene, you see members of the KKK going into Isaiah's church. They kill almost everyone inside. The body count continues to rise, and the spokesperson has the inventor of the Purge killed for fear she will tell media it was all rigged. Eventually, the groups make their way to Isaiah's apartment, where he, his sister, and two families from the church are hiding. Luckily, the drug dealer and former flame of Isaiah's sister comes to the rescue. However, we know the story doesn't have a happy ending, as the Purge continues on for a number of years following. WHAT I LEARNED FROM WATCHING THE FIRST PURGE
The first indication of this was the use of actual footage from riots and protests from recent years. At the beginning of the film, it's almost like you're actually watching a TV interview, as an actor is seen interviewing the creator of the Purge and the spokesperson for the New Founding Fathers about the experiment. You also see the manipulation of people by using money. Sure, this has been a way to have people participate in different experiments before, but it just seemed so real, especially because many of the participants were from poorer communities in Staten Island. The use of the KKK and other fiendish groups that have been garnering news coverage as of late was also revealing. The fact that they went into a black church further heightens concern around the issue of race, especially since the shooting at a black church in South Carolina that led to the deaths of several people who had just gathered there for bible study, as they did in this film.
CONCLUSIONAll in all, I think that this last Purge was a sort of political piece. It was an eye-opening experience that showed that the current state of the USA could lead to something like this. I want to know what you think about the Purge. Vote in the poll below to share your opinion.
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