Say hello to horror with Blumhouse’s Halfway to Halloween series! Watch a different genre defining classic every night this week, 3/29-4/2.
The Purge has emerged from its high-concept original film (What if for one annual night all crime was legal?) into a lightly sprawling franchise, mixing horror, action, and politics all in one. If you want to watch the Purge franchise in order to see its events unfold chronologically, start with the conveniently titled First Purge, which was actually the fourth movie released overall.
To become a true Purge completionist, the next movie to watch isn’t actually a movie at all: It’s actually the TV series that ran for two seasons starting in 2018. The second season, considered the best thing to come out of the franchise by diehards, ends with an explicit tie-in to the original Purge movie, starring Ethan Hawke. From there, you can watch the rest of the franchise chronologically as they released in theaters, with Anarchy, Election Year, and now the latest, Forever Purge.
Watch all 5 Purge movies in order with the list below! —Alex Vo
#5
Adjusted Score: 65185%
Critics Consensus: The First Purge should satisfy fans of the franchise and filmgoers in the mood for violent vicarious thrills, even if its subtextual reach exceeds its grasp.
#4
Adjusted Score: 47857%
Critics Consensus: Half social allegory, half home-invasion thriller, The Purge attempts to make an intelligent point, but ultimately devolves into numbing violence and tired clichés.
#3
Adjusted Score: 64290%
Critics Consensus: Gritty, grisly, and uncommonly ambitious, The Purge: Anarchy represents a slight improvement over its predecessor, but it’s still never as smart or resonant as it tries to be.
#2
Adjusted Score: 62294%
Critics Consensus: It isn’t particularly subtle, but The Purge: Election Year‘s blend of potent jolts and timely themes still add up to a nastily effective diversion.
#1
Adjusted Score: 56594%
Critics Consensus: The Forever Purge fails to fully engage with its most frighteningly timely themes, but the franchise remains largely — albeit bluntly — effective.