The Purge: Anarchy(2014)
2014 · James DeMonaco · 103 min
One night per year, the government sanctions a 12-hour period in which citizens can commit any crime they wish -- including murder -- without fear of punishment or imprisonment. Leo, a sergeant who lost his son, plans a vigilante mission of revenge during the mayhem. However, instead of a death-dealing avenger, he becomes the unexpected protector of four innocent strangers who desperately need his help if they are to survive the night.
Horror · Thriller
6.66.8k votes
TMDB score
3/5
Intensity
3/5
Gore
2/5
Stays with you
How scary is The Purge: Anarchy?
It kicks off slow, with a tense countdown feeling as the city empties out and the rules of the night are laid out, then turns into a non-stop chase across dark streets once the violence starts. The scares come less from jolts and more from the constant threat of gangs, snipers, and armed strangers around every corner. It's built more like an action survival thriller than a traditional horror movie, with adrenaline and dread mixing together as the group tries to make it through the night. Good for people who want tension and violence more than ghosts or gore-heavy shocks.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, The Purge: Anarchy rates psychological 3/5, visceral 5/5, gore 3/5, lingering effect 2/5, and overall intensity 3/5.
- Psychological: 3 of 5
- Visceral: 5 of 5
- Gore: 3 of 5
- Lingering: 2 of 5
- Intensity: 3 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 30 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 95 of 100 — leans Real-world
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 45 of 100 — balanced
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A tense countdown gives way to near-constant street-level danger that keeps surging in waves, with one last hard push before it's over.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 5, 3.
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