The Purge/The Purge: Anarchy (DVD)

Double bill of futuristic horror films. In 'The Purge' (2013), Ethan Hawke stars as the head of a family forced to fight for their lives. With crime in America spiralling out of control and prison populations soaring, the government of the day implements a drastic new initiative to address the problem. For a 12-hour period once a year, all crime, including murder, is legal, as the police and other emergency services stand down for the night, allowing the population to regulate itself. 'The Purge' is deemed a success due to plummeting crime levels and record low unemployment figures. But after placing their upmarket home under its yearly lockdown, James and Mary Sandin (Hawke and Lena Headey) and their family find themselves under siege from a crazed group of masked killers when their teenage son (Max Burkholder) offers shelter to the mob's terrified prey. In 'The Purge: Anarchy' (2014), following on from events in the previous film, a year has passed and the time for society to purge itself of all murderous and violent urges has come back around. Desperate to get home to their children before 'The Purge' commences, a young couple (Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez) find themselves stranded when their car breaks down, leaving them at the mercy of a mob of masked attackers. Meanwhile, a man (Frank Grillo) looking to avenge the murder of his son becomes the reluctant protector of a mother and daughter (Carmen Ejogo and Zoe Soul) on the run. Can they all survive the night?