'The Purge: Election Year' Has A Terrible Title But An Awesome Trailer

No joke, when I first read the title, I thought this was a joke, but apparently The Purge 3 really is called The Purge: Election Year, which is…hilarious. Seriously, I thought it was going to be a Funny or Die sketch or something of that ilk, but no, the low-budget franchise is back to cash in on the election year frenzy, and given our presidential options, this may be a glimpse of our future. Check out a new trailer below.

While I wasn’t a fan of The Purge, the follow-up, The Purge: Anarchy (also an unfortunate title), was one of my favorite movies that year, less a home invasion movie than a throwback to gritty, exploitation-style actioners of the 1970s and ‘80s. The Purge: Election Year looks to build on that.

Election Night (not to be confused with Judgment Night) picks up two years after Anarchy, after Sergeant (Frank Grillo), who we now know is named Leo Barnes (not nearly as badass), stopped himself from exacting revenge during the Purge, the annual night where all crime is legal, because, you know, dystopian future. He’s now the head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), an anti-Purge presidential candidate trying to protect the poor and innocent. Betrayed by those they trusted, the two find themselves trying to survive the lawless, blood-soaked streets of DC. And yes, there are lots of creepy masks this time, too.

There’s always been room to explore themes of class, inequality, race, and much more in The Purge films, though those opportunities have largely been squandered. But it looks like Election Year may try to dive deep into that arena.

Once again written and directed by franchise James DeMonaco, The Purge: Election Year hits theaters July 1. Watch the trailer below.