Review: The Purge: Anarchy

(2014) Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford

Being one of the few people who enjoyed the original film I went into this sequel expecting good action horror and a simple plot, I was half right. The Purge: Anarchy has detached itself from all the original characters and now offers a glimpse of the terror and chaos that ensues on the city streets during these terrifying 12 hours in future America.
Frank Grillo plays moody hardman Sergeant out to seek revenge on his son's killer during the annual Purge; however his journey is interrupted as he decides to help a mother/daughter and girlfriend/boyfriend foursome who have accidentally been forced out onto the blood soaked streets. I assumed that the film would be a straight up series of chases, killings and jump scares until the film's Purge timer had elapsed, what I got however was a rather clever character driven thriller with a fair few plot twists and multiple themes.
The film did a great job of starting with a simple premise and then complicating the plot, building tension and throwing new scenarios at the characters. The characters were mostly forgettable however, Sergeant was so much better at killing people than any of the villains on the street that I never once felt like the other characters were in danger as long as they were close to him. The only times they were hurt was due to their own error or a clique 'you go ahead i'll hold them off' moment. The star of the film for me was a revolutionary type character that was not even shown in any of the trailers or marketing, he had a great reveal moment towards the climax. A lot of other films and media was given nods to, especially towards the final battle against the sadistic rich 'hunters' who had captured Sergeant and his crew. Everything from The Running Man, Hostel and even video game nasty Manhunt were lending subtle touches and idea but the film used them in the right ways and didn't rely solely on borrowing. Critics of the original film I think will be more on board with this sequel because it broadens it's scope on 'The Purge' as a concept, you get to see a lot of violence happening to a lot of different people. Some of it harrowing but some of it being eye-roll worthy, the gore was a big disappointment and was done using entirely CGI. BAD CGI.

The Verdict

If you enjoyed the original film there is a lot to like about it's sequel, if you were not an original fan there is still an entertaining thriller to be found here. The plot isn't afraid to deliberately catch you off guard and throw a few twists in here and there. Despite a few silly moments from characters and ancient looking effects The Purge: Anarchy isn't your typical mindless violent romp and can provide surprisingly thrilling moments during its bumpy chaos fuelled ride.

3/5

Review: Oculus

(2014) Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff

After recently being released from a psychiatric ward for committing murder, Tim is reunited with his paranormal enthusiast sister Kaylie who vows on proving that his crimes were the work of supernatural forces. The plot centres around an antique mirror which was bought by the siblings mother (Katee Sackhoff), the mirror appears to be home to a malevolent spirit capable of controlling the actions of and projecting visions into those near to it. The film picks up fairly quickly after a brief backstory seen through a series of flashbacks. Karen Gillan played the role of a Sister on an unrelenting mission to clear her Brother's name and prove to him (and more so herself) that the mirror was hiding a sinister secret. The set up began with Kaylie rigging out the house where they grew up and the crime was committed with thermo sensors, cameras and an ingenious, if not a little unsettling 'killswitch'. The odds do not go in Kaylie's favour as an ever growing impatient Tim tries to persuade her she is completely deluded, but then no sooner than he is ready to leave the mirror begins to reveal it's powers...
I felt the film's main strength came from the elaborate ways that were thought up of in which the mirror could toy with the two protagonists. So many of the scenes and shock moments came from these things that would happen but the viewer wouldn't realise till moments later, this really made for some hand over mouth moments. There were no cheap jump scares as such just an unrelenting sense of suspense and the occasional red herring, the mirror started out in what the siblings would consider a 'controlled environment' but soon made them question everything around them including themselves. I loved the way the film never delved into what was inhabiting the mirror, no complex backstory. It was as if the director said 'it is what it is' and let the focus be on the human element. The acting was pretty solid overall although I did have trouble with Karen Gillan's American accent, maybe its my own fault for be critical due to watching so many episodes of  Dr Who! This film was definitely one of the more intelligent mainstream horrors to hit cinemas this year and was a breath of fresh air due to it's constant air of suspense and satisfying payoff.

The verdict

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Oculus, it genuinely felt like an intelligent horror movie that had been made with attention to detail and care. A few accent gripes and 'its behind you' moments aside I can hand on heart say this film scared me, which is ultimately the goal of a horror film. It succeeds in telling a gripping ghost story and where many films has fallen off at the halfway point Oculus remains a terrifying and suspenseful ordeal throughout its runtime. As a parting note all I wll say is there is one particular scene, in which I will simply refer to as 'the light bulb scene' that will stay with me for many nights after watching this gem!

4/5

Review: Snowpiercer

(2013) Chris Evans, John Hurt, Jamie Bell

When the world is plunged into a deep freeze after a failed attempt to control global warming, the last survivors are forced to live on board The Snowpiercer. This near indestructible train with what seems like miles of carriages was supposed to be humanity's salvation, but a sinister class system has evolved over time and tensions are running high...
It took me a long time to finally see this film due to its extremely limited release in the UK, but boy was it worth the wait. I knew about 5 minutes into this film that Chris Evans was no longer playing the clean cut super hero style role as he boldly stood up against a POW camp style attendance count. The opening few scenes in which the lower class (tail end of train) were preparing for a the rebellion brought back feelings of prison break movies, the guard pattern watching and hiding of essential escape materials was great to watch. A stunning performance by Tilda Swinton as the sadistic (but often hilarious) 'Mason' injected bouts of terror and comic relief into the plot at the same time. The rebellion goes off with a bang as the occupants of the rear carriages push forward in order to reach the engine room. They come across various other passengers who help them with their mission but a couple of Koreans are among the most valuable, the male of the 2 being able to open electronically locked doors while the other is a clairvoyant. The thing that really surprised me is how simple the plot seemed at first, get from point A to B but quickly became a more complicated affair. As the passengers moved further up the train we get to share their bewilderment as they open the various carriage doors, the contents ranging from deadly to the down right bizarre. There is a scene which involves the crew stumbling in on a primary school class mid lesson which was a truly stand out moment for me! Throughout the entire film I was always eager to see what was going to be thrown at the heroes next, how they would overcome their current predicament and what was really waiting behind that final door....
The Verdict

It is rare for an action film to make me feel the range of emotions that this film succeeded in doing and lets hope this sets a trend for future releases. Snowpiercer truly shone through the crowded and mediocre slew of action films produced over the last couple of years. It's varied and talented cast carried the film from start to finish and the increasing sense of tension made for a heart pounding experience.

4/5