Friday 30 September 2016

The Girl with All the Gifts - The scoop and digest

Within classroom set anthologies An Apple for the Creature (2012) and Zombies: More Recent Dead (2014), is thirty-six page horror short Iphigenia in Aulis (title taken from one of the final works by Greek tragedian Euripides).

Zombie children schooled at a remote military facility proved to be the genesis for The Girl with All the Gifts.

In only his second feature film after Outcast, small screen veteran Colm McCarthy directs and Mike Carey adapts screenplay from novel of same name.

Before screaming dream team, let's not count infected chickens.

Apart from leaving out scavengers (dubbed junkers), differences from book are largely superficial.

This shouldn't surprise, as both were written hand in hand.

Gemma Arterton - Helen Justineau
Paddy Considine - Sgt. Parks
Sennia Nanua - Melanie
Glenn Close - Dr. Caldwell
Fisayo Akinade - Kieran
Anthony Welsh - Dillon

Variant of fungal infection ophiocordyceps unilateralis has decimated civilisation and unless pizza requires extra mushrooms, 'hungries' should be given a wide berth.

Teacher Miss Justineau is fond of child genius Melanie, but narrowly avoids bloody demise when visiting star pupil alone in cell.

Melanie is derived from the Greek word 'Melania', meaning 'black', and other derivatives.

Now you can sleep better knowing that.

Despite risk posed by intelligent cannibal, Dr. Caldwell sees her as the key to creating a vaccine.

We learn much later she's a 'newborn', the result of mother's infected placenta, with the ability to speak and think.

Shit hits the proverbial fan when hungries break in and along with Melanie, survivors evacuate.

For obvious reasons, Parks insists Melanie be muzzled and handcuffed.

Vast amounts of hungries stand catatonic around shopping centre and tip toe tactics must be employed to bypass certain death.

Things don't go swimmingly, but all escape unharmed and hospital provides safe haven.

Kieran wanders off and explores newsagent.  Unfortunately, he's dumb enough to follow one of Mel's kind and becomes tasty meal.

Mel confronts feral gang who back off when she kills their leader.

They stumble across stage 2 of infection, a giant tree with seedpods hanging.

Caldwell informs it will be the end of the world if pods open, as infection will be airborne.

Once inside still functioning armoured laboratory Rosalind Franklin (built soon after initial outbreak), Doc reveals she's dying from sepsis.

Upon returning from stroll, Caldwell gases all but thanks to fungus metabolising oxygen, Mel doesn't stay down for long.

Oh, scientific research declares there's no cure for infection.

Mel flees and Caldwell gives chase, but children intervene...

Tree is lit and inferno causes seeds to be released into the atmosphere.

Parks shows up and knowing change is imminent, Mel blows him away.

Some time later, seeds no longer linger and Miss J teaches children from inside lab, with sidekick keeping them in check.

Influenced by Gareth Edwards' 2010 debut Monsters, McCarthy's post-apocalyptic UK landscape looks stunning.

Situation is appropriately bleak and character study nearly succeeds.

Considine and Close are good, but Arterton doesn't convince.

As for newcomer Nanua, performance shines brightly.

Dystopian pie does serve a nice slice of deadpan humour.

Mel stares at a-board featuring feline variety and when asked 'Do you want a cat?', and referring to earlier meal, she replies 'I've already had one.'

However, enjoyable survival yarn has multiple problems.

Hissing neanderthals are like some fucking stupid version of Lord of the Flies.

Danny Boyle's non-zombie Rage virus from modern classic 28 Days Later and/or Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's impressive sequel 28 Weeks Later is blatantly copied.

Musical score raises eyebrows and tension-shy action suffers from occasionally duff CGI.

To more important matters.

"In the short story the pathogen was a virus and in the novel it was a fungus, because in between writing them both I watched a David Attenborough programme on the cordyceps fungus [a killer fungus that invades the bodies of insects to grow], and I thought to myself, this is just too good."

Fair enough, but I can't believe for one solitary second he was totally oblivious to Naughty Dog's 2013 masterpiece The Last Of Us.

Don't forget, novel was published in 2014.

Set 10 years before, prequel The Boy on the Bridge is out next May.

Will that also be adapted for the big screen?

Probably.

Sunday 25 September 2016

Bridget Jones's Baby - The scoop and digest

Sharon Maguire returns as director in what's described as being an alternative version of latest novel Mad About the Boy.

Renée Zellweger - Bridget
Colin Firth - Mark Darcy
Patrick Dempsey - Jack Qwant
Sarah Solemani - Miranda
Emma Thompson - Dr. Rawlings
Neil Pearson - Richard Finch
Sally Phillips - Shazza
James Callis - Tom
Jim Broadbent - Mr. Jones
Gemma Jones - Mrs. Jones

43 years young, Miss Jones has quit smoking, swapped diary for iPad, and remains a lonely, single spinster.

Following a plane crash, publishing playboy Daniel Cleaver is presumed dead.

Hard News friend Miranda suggests Bridge needs a shafting.  A good old-fashioned lying on your back thinking of England bonk.

At Ed Sheeran concert, algorithm tycoon Jack unsheathes sword and duly obliges.

Returning home, she also sleeps with old flame Darcy.

If neither soldier was dressed for the occasion, that could mean...

But whose bun is cooking in her oven?

Bridge takes Darcy and Jack out for dinner and drops bombshell.

Jack takes the news pretty well but Mark walks out upset.

Awwww.

For ballsing up interview, heartbeat of news network is sacked for gross incompetence.

After outgoing speech, Lily Allen's Fuck You is more than appropriate.

Darcy finds an exhausted and desperate Bridget locked out of her flat and breaks in.

Soon after, waters break and farcical journey to hospital is not without mishaps.

She gives birth to a healthy boy and before paternity test, Mark and Jack wish each other luck.

One year later, Bridge and Darcy are married and their son is named William.

A newspaper headline confirms Cleaver is alive.

While original reigns supreme, this smashes Beeban Kindron's terrible sequel.

Maguire doesn't overindulge on slapstick and intermittent drama pluck emotional heartstrings.

Dempsey and Firth exude chemistry and thanks to screenplay by Helen Fielding, Dan Mazer and Emma Thompson (also enjoying sarcastic fun as obstetrician), most of the best laughs come from Solemani's sexy news presenter Miranda.

Sequence of delivering expectant mother contains several giggles.

Together with Up Where We Belong, Darcy struggles to carry Bridge, completing obvious reference to An Officer and a Gentlemen.

Both men join forces and get stuck in hospital door, eventually dumping her on reception desk.

Trust me - face will be far from straight.

Speaking of which...

It's obvious she's had work done, so what's the point in saying otherwise?

Regardless, we couldn't imagine anybody else playing ditzy heroine.

Barring something remarkable, we bid farewell to a screen icon.

Wednesday 21 September 2016

Blair Witch - The scoop and digest

Ruggero Deodato's hugely controversial 1980 classic Cannibal Holocaust is documented as being the first found footage film.

However, The Blair Witch Project popularised the genre.

2010 psychological horror YellowBrickRoad shares similarities of desperate fear.

Many forget merry jaunt was inspired by serial killer 'documentary' The Last Broadcast.

Reminding ourselves of 1999 original's blurb:

"In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary.

A year later their footage was found."

Taking place in 2014, Adam 'You're Next' Wingard completely ignores cash-hungry sequel Book of Shadows and regular collaborator Simon Barrett pens screenplay.

James Allen McCune - James
Brandon Scott - Peter
Callie Hernandez - Lisa
Corbin Reid - Ashley
Valorie Curry - Talia
Wes Robinson - Lane

YouTube video convinces Heather's no longer kid brother James that sister's still alive and ropes in friends to help.

Uploaders Darknet666 (Lane) and Talia agree to show them where videotape was found, providing they can tag along.

During ill-advised search of Maryland's Black Hills Forest, Ashley cuts foot open and tape was found near lightning struck tree.

As campfire sizzles sausages, exposition of Blair Bitch Elly Kedward is spilled.

Legend has it that for taking blood of children, suspected witch was tied to a tree and left to die from exposure.

Lane pipes up and states she was actually racked high in the sky.

Those responsible couldn't find body and presumed she'd been eaten by animals.

Steamrolling on.

After finding stick figurines hanging outside, Lane and Talia admit they faked occasion, but are adamant curse is real.

Not so fab four walk for hours, only to end up back at original campsite.

Ashley contracts a fever and foot injury worsens, forcing another night's stay.

Now or thereabouts, we've seen the last of sunlight.

Peter is 'attacked' by a fallen tree and James responds to scream king, but...

Lane and Talia reappear at campsite, with the former claiming they've been walking around for days.

Talia stays but Lane goes.

The following 'morning', larger figures are discovered and Ashley naturally accuses Talia of playing silly buggers.

Taila notices clump of hair attached to wooden figure and Ashley breaks it, along with Talia in the process.

Camera and ground violently rumbles, separating the group.

Ashley takes a peek at wound and removes object embedded in leg.

Blanking out obvious pain, she scales tree to recover crashed drone but is knocked down and dragged away by something.

James and Lisa suddenly stumble across Rustin Parr's cabin and James sees 'Heather'.

Once inside, house cheats by seemingly altering state.

Lisa is compelled to gatecrash party when strange looking creature emerges from woods.

She stumbles across now hobo Lane and stabs geezer in self-defence.

We assume light penetrating dilapidated hovel represents time dilation.

It's just... (shakes head).

Reunited with James, he concludes they'll be fine as long as eye contact isn't established.

As Nazis open the Ark:

"Marion, don't look at it.  Shut your eyes, Marion.  Don't look at it, no matter what happens!"

Just saying.

Heather's voice tricks him into ignoring own advice and bites the big one.

Lisa cannot prevent the inevitable and is killed off-screen, as camera cuts to black.

I was so up for this, but excitement was derailed part way through.

Apart from applying a few new twists, meat of original is essentially rehashed.

This is a sequel, not a remake, so here's an idea - make your own bastard movie.

I'm surprised we didn't get close up of runny nose and nobody argued about a map.

For fake jump scares alone, this must be a world record, as said trope surely exceeds double figures.

Ha ha ha!

Performances aren't disgraceful, but characters are devoid of personality.

You could sum this up in one sentence.

Bunch of annoying 20-somethings reacting to loud noises.

According to Barrett, long-limbed freak isn't the 'Blair Witch'.  It's Elly Kedward, composed of branches.

WHAT?

As the rest don't, why does McCune's character share actor's Christian name?

Strange.

I'm sure franchise will continue and hopefully the next will move in more surprising ways.

Sunday 18 September 2016

Video games Lost in Translation - Refreshed

Great greetings, its certainly preasure from pinnacle of heart.

Frosh targets dangling from nearest destiny must be vanguished or mouse and minerals face exstinction.

Hesitate with not option gave, so move alone and endure free doom.

Alcatraz (Amiga)
Mission is a total sucess?
I c double, but that's just the drink talking.
Back to the Future (MSX)
Completing all rounds rewards with a splendid technic special bonus.
Thank you 'form' Pony Inc. and programmer M.I.
Great Scott! This is heavy.
Cyberlip (Neo Geo)
'I have just been evilly reprogrammed' is pure poetry and no, I am not insain.
Double Dragon (Neo Geo)
Billy apologises for beating the shit of Marian by asking 'are your hurt babe?'
What a total bastard.
Empire City: 1931 (Arcade)
And you must kill him (the boss) at a shot.
Thanks for the advice, but I'll devise my own strategy.
Legionnaire (Arcade)
I didn't believe the force of four could rise up to fight, untill now. 
Mobile Suit Gundam: EX Revue (Arcade)
There's 'is' a problem here, but Lala shall understand. 
Operation Wolf (C64)
I don't care what any asshole says, missiom is the new mission.
Savage (Spectrum)
Did you do it properly??

No, I was a chicken, cheated and did it propely.
Sorcer Striker (Arcade)
You're and your are commonly misused in everyday life, but not so sure splitting 'worth' and 'while' happens that often.

Now look what you've done, my happy face has turned angry.
The Godfather (Amiga)
Hold the fucking front page.
Judge threatend in trial uproar.
Like that's never happened before...
The Real Ghostbusters (Arcade)
Legal bumf states a 'dlvision' of CPT Holdings.
If you thought division was a word, think again.
For the record, insert coin was based on animated television spin-off show of same name.
Fight Fever (Neo Geo)
Believe me, a little 'improvment' in skill is the least of this fucking game's problems.
Fatal Fury 2 and Fatal Fury Special (Neo Geo)
Hard to spot, but there it is, bold as 'palce'.
Galaxy Fight (Neo Geo)

Army.  Be All You Can Bee.
I think mistake has a bit of a sting in its tail.
After beating secret boss Rouwe with any male character, ending message uses 'his', so females Roomi and Juri should obviously be 'her' and not har.
Mystic Warriors (Arcade)

Before conquring the world, evil ninja troops need to 'conquer' English.
The 'SKULL' enterprise is overwhelming the world and action must be taken before enornous cult is formed.
Clearly influenced by Out Run and Space Harrier, Taito's scaling shooter Night Striker has six possible endings.

In full.

Route P

The blast from the explosion filled in the factory (er okay), resulting in further big explosion.
'Producting' weapons necessary for 'terrorizm'?
If that wasn't bad enough, shit ain't done yet, as destruction of fire turning the night sky red stayed 'burnning' endlessly.
Route Q

Motal combat and neal power?
Both can kiss my sweet ass.
'No and body' need to be together and because of context, become should be 'became'.
Route R

Terrorizm aside, this 'compleltely' fucks up near the end.
No spelling mistakes, but I'd suggest 'thought' should be pluralised.
Route S

With no firepower for attacking the enemy, 'he' player must adopt a bodily crash by setting in the auto-pilot.
Enemy base has changed to organization center but bodily crash was able to destroy the super computer.  However, player lost a big thing and 'fare well' to my machine.
Nonsense? Absolutely.
Route T

No wonder missile thailer Fire Cracker got defeated, as everybody knows missile 'trailers' are far more durable.
Terrorizm? There's that word 'again'.
Forced or not to make such a weapon - damn you doctor.
Route U

After player destroyed submarine 'Dragon Head', he intended to go for 'descuting' the doctor's 'doughter' and found a boat 'drafting' about at the mercy of the waves.
Where to (laughs) fucking begin?
We assume wonderful word is something along the lines of 'rescuing', especially since final sentence speaks of caught daughter (yeah), should be in that boat.
Oh, floating objects such as this are regularly seen 'drafting' about and only a simpleton would dare to suggest they actually drift.
Attention all escaping convicts.  Wait for a chance of an ungarded moment.
Let me guess? It was very good.
When Bonfire Night comes around, l'll make bastard sure fine works will be displayed in the night sky as a sign of peace when all strategies have succeeded.
Sure family and friends will think I'm fucking nuts, but that's a small price to pay.
The Punisher (Arcade)

Its and it's have a lot to answer for...
What's wrong with the world today?
There's not enough evel left on the earth to fight.
What was Namco's Finest Hour?

Well definitely not 1989 run and gun mech arcade.

This was odd, with a capital O.

I shouldn't complain, because broken bollocks is hilarious.

Starting with:

You gained over the factory of monster weapon "Gelphaust
The mission has completed.
1st strike has finished with successfully complete.
But you can hear the sound of gunfire at the front line.
To be continue on 2nd strike.
Yep, you have to finish forgotten monstrosity 'twice' for true ending.

Just for a giggle, 29 July 3010 is on a Sunday.
Two years made me go home again.
Now the fun really begins.

In the removal spaceship, all talked happily how they are going to use the big money they've got.
Did anybody earn any cash?
Whatever...
But at the time when getting down to 'mother planet', all went 'silence' at the thought of 'there' family and friends.
You can't be silent at their balls up.
Basically, with foot feeling ground instigated oral examination and people waving hands.
Never mind, at least eyes catching brilliant shooting star is some consolation.
This is the moment (in gaming) I long waited for.
Looking our future in wealth and fame, we plunge into the war.
I want to freeze this moment for a while than any food or beer.
Oh my days.  Ha ha ha ha ha!
Even if anything made sense, since when the fuck did anybody 'preserve' beer?
Traffic is a different beast, but walking against the flow of pedestrians is surely impossible?
Turning round now and then, holding hand to the sun makes sensation a little bit stronger.
What the FUCK is she talking about?
Programed and...
Desined.
And.

This is apparently 'their' and your Finest Hour.
Don't go crazy trying to find an explanation, because there isn't one.
Turgets breached, univarse dead and world parted rainbow.

Excelent job general, I couldn't make enviromnent stank better myself.

Until breathe mustered before today can be find.

"Forewell !!?"

Thursday 15 September 2016

Don't Breathe - The scoop and digest

Fede Alvarez follows up Evil Dead reboot with home invasion horror.

Jane Levy - Rocky
Stephen Lang - The Blind Man
Dylan Minnette - Alex
Daniel Zovatto - Money

Three petty thieves get wind of six-figure fortune stashed within a blind Gulf war veteran's house.

Just in case anybody cares, grenade splinter deprived him of sight.

Piece of cake, right?

Chickens shouldn't be counted...

After forcing entry, noise inadvertently awakes apparently helpless host.

Money delays squeezing trigger and soon regrets moment of hesitation.

Rocky watches Blind Man enter safe combination (2978) and takes her opportunity.

Director was born on 9 February 1978, confirming code isn't random.

After game of cat and mouse, woman is found gagged and restrained in home-made padded cell who via newspaper article, is revealed to be his daughter's killer.

Maybe it's time to get the fuck out.

Girl is mistakenly killed in crossfire and enrages antagonist.

Loyal woof woof forces Alex to make haste and intruder is 'killed' with garden shears.

Warning.  Incoming plot twist.

Blind Man artificially inseminated killer's daughter so offspring could replace his child.

"A man can do anything after he accepts there is no God."

Or something to that effect.

Before turkey baster can be used, Alex swings weapon and leaves antagonist handcuffed to wall.

Restraints don't hold him for long and Alex is shot dead, but Rocky makes swift exit.

Four-legged friend is eventually trapped inside car boot but guess who's knocked sparko and dragged back to derelict home?

Rocky sets off alarm and exploits disorientation by battering him with crowbar.

$300K richer, Rocky prepares to realise Californian dream with kid brother Diddy and before boarding train, news report confirms Blind Man survived and kept schtum about Rocky and stolen money.

Complemented by intelligent moments of uncomfortable silence, Alvarez creates a tension-filled atmosphere.

Lang steals the show, but Levy doesn't exactly let us down with another great performance.

As for Zovatto, it was the right decision to kill gangster idiot off quickly.

It may be down to mistreatment, upbringing etc, but there are bad apples in every breed of dog, but Rottweilers are apparently quite friendly.

On the big screen, The Omen painted a very different picture and here, the ferocity of three (Athos, Astor and Nomad) are absolutely terrifying.

Hats off to trainers.

Although perfectly safe, I bet actors still shat themselves.

Other famous movie pooches include Hooch, Cujo and even sickeningly cute Labrador from Marley & Me.

Speaking of ultimate St. Bernard (Beethoven need not apply), beast trapping Levy inside car may have been nicked (or inspired), by Lewis Teague's 1983 adaptation of Stephen King's novel.

As we go around in 'circles', Rocky attacking Blind Man with melee weapon is identical in principle to Predators.

Err, what the?

Lang and Schwarzenegger's Terminator are different animals, but providing you're referring to 1984 original, they share nearly the same amount of dialogue; as Arnie and lethal Blind Man boast fourteen and about thirteen lines respectively.

For all its positives, plausible situation aggravates.

While handcuffed and helpless, why not take opportunity to inflict more 'permanent' damage on baddie?

After knocking Rocky out, why wasn't dog freed for extra insurance?

Ending sucks ass because he survives, but doesn't spoil things.

Roll on his next project.

Thursday 8 September 2016

Sausage Party - The scoop and digest

The film every kid wants to see is out of bounds.

I wonder why?

Seth Rogen - Frank
Kristen Wiig - Brenda
Michael Cera - Barry
Jonah Hill - Carl
James Franco - Druggie
Edward Norton - Sammy Bagel
Salma Hayek - Teresa del Taco
Paul Rudd - Darren (Shopwell's Manager)
Nick Kroll - Douche

Groceries filling Shopwell's supermarket shelves see humans as gods and hope freshness is worthy enough for 'the great beyond'.

En route to till, Honey Mustard informs sausage Frank and hot dog bun girlfriend Brenda that paradise is all made of bullshit.

Following trolley fallout, Mustard is 'killed' and Douche vows revenge on Frank for bending his nozzle.

Going separate ways, Frank seeks out Firewater's non-perishable crew and at Mexican bar, Brenda attracts the attention of lesbian taco Teresa.

To Frank's horror, Firewater informs gods actually eat purchased products and he conjured up yarn to make death easier for when reaper comes knocking on food's door.

Best make refrigerated haste.

Unlike buddies, another sausage Barry manages to escape hungry captor and once experiencing outside world, scrambles inside junkie's carrier bag.

Our resident freak shoots up bath salts and trippy voyage brings food to life.

During which, Stephen Hawking-esque mound of Gum joins the gang.

Barry escapes consumption and following accident with meat cleaver, junkie is decapitated

Cookbook exposes monstrous truth and page is taken to garnish factual pudding.

Barry reveals humans can be communicated with and killed when high, so shoppers are blasted with toothpicks laced with mood altering substance.

Douche shoves nozzle uncomfortably up Darren's ass and goes on the rampage.

Master and puppet are blown up when launched in the sky and with nothing better to do, all concerned get very friendly.

I honestly couldn't stop laughing.

Revisiting alcohol, Frank and Sammy are shocked to discover cartoon characters are animated by tech wizards and voiced by celebrities.

They enter Gum's dimension portal as food hopes to find their creators.

Banging

For the most part, Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan's foul-mouthed Pixar spoof is jaw-achingly funny.

Packed with superb profanity and explicit sexual innuendo, Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg must've had a great time writing screenplay.

Highlights include:

"They're eating children.  Fucking children."

Brenda taunts Frank with her 'tight' hole and he'd be amazed at what she can fit up there.

Etc etc.

You'd be forgiven for thinking concept would be thicker than pig shit, but raunchy satire has something Oz's Scarecrow never had - a brain.

Although Wiig does a pretty decent job, Elizabeth Banks should've been cast as leading lady.

Maybe she wasn't interested?

Movie refs

Saving Private Ryan

Just after Honey Mustard dies, flour-covered floor recreates haze of Omaha Beach.

Potato chips represent bullets and environment echoes.

Gulliver's Travels

Human is tied down by strawberry liquorice.

Top Gun

Frank and Brenda snog pays homage to Maverick potting Charlie's pink.

Pineapple Express

Frank smokes weed with non-perishables.

(Coughs and splutters).

Superbad

"Fuck me, right?"

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Darren blows a hole in Gum and 'liquid metal' body reforms.

Music

Meat Loaf performs mega hit I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) and towards the end, an interpretation of album cover Bat Out of Hell rocks up.

One more thing.

Name another film to boast a talking condom?

Err...

Friday 2 September 2016

The Purge: Election Year - The scoop and digest

Set in 2025 (two years after Anarchy), James DeMonaco once again writes and directs 12 hour killing spree.

Frank Grillo - Leo Barnes
Elizabeth Mitchell - Senator Charlie Roan
Mykelti Williamson - Joe
Edwin Hodge - Dante Bishop
Joseph Julian Soria - Marcos

18 years after seeing her family slaughtered, Charlie Roan is campaigning to make the Purge illegal.

Outlandish claims that annual occasion is designed to line rich pockets and eliminate the poor ruffles NFFA feathers.

Knowing she's gaining ground on Presidential candidate Minister Edwidge Owens, NFFA chief Caleb Warrens aims to use the Purge to do a little 'spring cleaning'.

With Purge night fast approaching, customary warning message informs for the first time, nobody's exempt (including government officials).

This of course is an excuse to kill Roan.

Following altercation with teenage shoplifter, shop owner Joe is told his Purge insurance has rocketed which forces him to protect business against inevitable looters.

He wants to play the lone tough guy, but friend Marcos isn't having any of it.

Former police sergeant Leo Barnes now heads security for Roan and shortly after Purge night commences, NFFA put their diabolical plan into action by sending Neo-Nazi Earl Danzinger's team to assassinate Roan.

Barnes is shot, but bomb in Roan's house blows up several troops.

And so the chase across the hostile streets of Washington D.C. begins.

They're eventually surprised by what the press dub 'murder tourists'.

Joe and Marcos recuse asses and take them to Joe's Deli.

Unpleasant teenagers from earlier return to exact candy bar revenge.

Luckily, Joe's associates Laney and Dawn turn up in their ambulance and shoot gang dead.

Good timing, right?

As place is already badly damaged, they leave to find pastures safer.

Danzinger's helicopter opens fire on ambulance and kills the already wounded Rondo, but how did extremist know of their location?

Maybe it's because bullet embedded inside Barnes contained a tracking device.

For some reason, this reminds me of Quaid's 'bug' in Total Recall (1990).

The group find a safe zone underneath a hospital where anti-Purge rebels protect and heal those lucky enough to survive.

Resistance leader Dante Bishop, aka 'The Stranger' joins forces.

Is name compiled from 'Dante' Alighieri and Lance Henriksen's android 'Bishop'?

Possibly.

Disregarding piece of shit 2011 remake, Roddy McDowall's vampire killer in Fright Night (1985) was named after horror legends 'Peter' Cushing and 'Vincent' Price.

Now where was I?

Roan discovers the rebels are plotting to rub out Owens, but wants to win the election fairly and not make a martyr out of rival.

Death squad vans force a swift exit and after ambulance is rammed, Danzinger kidnaps Roan.

Senator wakes at a cathedral where she is due to be cleansed at NFFA ritual.

For the amusement of fanatical audience, 'religious' figure Harmon James murders a random drug addict.

Before Warrens can slit Roan's throat, Marcos becomes sniper and most are killed in resulting firefight.

Bishop is goaded by Owens to execute him but is persuaded otherwise.

Danzinger kills Bishop which prompts a melee face off between him and Barnes.

No prizes for guessing the outcome...

James comes out of hiding and engages in a Mexican standoff with Joe.

Before dying, Joe urges Roan to win and asks for his shop to be looked after.

Jesus Christ.  Somebody pass me a bucket.

Two months later, Roan secures a landslide victory and first order of business will be to eradicate the Purge.

Just before credits roll, audio reports reveal NFFA supporters have reacted angrily to result, hinting at a fourth film.

Congratulations James DeMonaco.

You've nearly ruined your own franchise.

If I wanted politics shoved down my throat - I'd attend a fucking council meeting or watch Question Time.

When script isn't boring, Joe's assortment of racial jokes are tedious and irritating.

On a positive note, imagery and masked assailants can be sporadically vivid.

In conclusion, it's okay and worth watching, but enough is enough.
Copyright © 2012-2024 Nukes and Knives™ All rights reserved.