The Purge: Anarchy

On the annual Purge night the government allows a twelve-hour window in which almost every crime is legal, and citizens prepare for the chaos in very different ways. Leo, a hardened sergeant driven by the loss of his son, plans a personal revenge mission. Instead of carrying out a lone vendetta he crosses paths with Eva, Shane, Carmelo and Liz, ordinary people trapped on city streets as violence spirals. Leo switches from avenger to protector, guiding the group through dangerous neighborhoods, hostile vigilantes and corrupt forces while the city collapses into lawlessness. The film keeps the tension tight, focusing on survival and human reactions without revealing how any of their fates are resolved. Tension builds as loyalties and morals shift.

Released in 2014, The Purge: Anarchy was written and directed by James DeMonaco, who created the original Purge concept. It follows on the 2013 film and notably stars Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford, Michael Kenneth Williams and Kiele Sanchez.

It performed well commercially, becoming one of the franchise's stronger earners and helping justify further sequels. The movie's box office success broadened the series' scope from a homebound thriller to larger, citywide chaos and political commentary, and drew international audiences.

The Purge: Anarchy pushed the franchise into mainstream conversation, its bleak concept and violent street sequences feeding debates about class, policing and state power. Images of barricaded homes and roaming gangs became shorthand in commentary, while the franchise inspired TV adaptations and references news discussions about safety and civil order.

Critics gave mixed to positive reviews, noting a stronger outside-the-home setting and sharper social critique than the first film, while some faulted thin character development and graphic violence. The movie leans on themes of inequality, the spectacle of sanctioned violence, and how fear and policy shape public behavior, raising questions.