The Purge: AnarchyCinematography: Good usage of quick cuts during fast paced sequences and close ups to display reactions throughout nearly all of the film. Establishing shots never left me confused as to what was happening or where I was. No particular shots ever stood out to me as very well placed or amazing so I give the film 3/5 for cinematography.

Mise-en-scene: Very fine details that I missed the first viewing but noticed during the second that have a lot of meaning. For example a few, well placed photographs let us know a lot about a character that turns out to be very important to the plot and the character’s back story. These very subtle details turned out to have a lot more to them than at first glance so for this I give the film a 4/5 for mise-en-scene.

Sound: The use of music was perfect, building tension at the correct moments and keeping the audience alert and entranced. I found myself thinking that I was safe because there was no music hinting any danger and realized this film had my emotions completely under it’s control with it’s music. Props to the head of sound for this movie, it deserves a 5/5 for his or her work. There were even moments when I had expected something to happen because it was too quiet and tense and this shows how on edge the music alone had me.

Lighting: There were very many moments that used light to demonstrate hope in a character, the evil of a character (specifically the sergeant) or the overall light of the setting. Considering that the coming of night is what signifies the beginning of the purge, the ever-growing darkness of nearly every scene is a great foreboding effect. 4/5 again.

Performance: Perhaps the only portion of the movie that fell flat. No performances really stuck out and I didn’t find myself relating to any of them. It seemed like the portrayals were unrealistic and I don’t believe any normal person in that situation would act the way the actors did. Whether it be lazy writing or a lack of good performers, this is the only non positive aspect to me and it’s large in part to the relationship of the characters too. A mother and daughter relationship seemed so forced and unnatural. For example in the clip included below, the mother called for her daughter and it sounded lazy. 1/5.