*SPOILER ALERT* A handful of Shippensburg University students had the entire Orndorff Theatre to themselves during Activities Program Board’s (APB) free movie, “Purge: Election Year,” shown Nov. 3 through Nov. 6. Unlike typical movie theaters where viewers must pay high snack prices or smuggle food in, students walked in hugging their snacks at ease.

The lights dimmed, and with the click of a button, the movie commenced. Just in time for today’s Election Day, the sequel to 2014’s “Purge: Anarchy” jumps on the bandwagon of politics.

The incorporated satirical theme in “Election Year” was a clever break from the Purge franchise’s typical horror and gory content as it encouraged viewers to take morality into consideration. However, it is likely no coincidence that the third Purge movie was built upon the backbone of politics. This year’s presidential campaign has been notably more hostile than previous election years, and in more ways than one, look like something out of a movie.

With the film’s tagline being, “Keep America Great,” which is quite similar to Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign motto, it is clear that the film has ties to the Republican Party. The correlation between the real life election and the movie grew cringe worthy before it even aired, as a realistic teaser for the movie spoofed off of a promotional voting video featuring individuals stepping forward and saying that they proudly purged to follow through with their duty of being a true American citizen.

As for the content of the movie itself, it revolved around a fictional presidential campaign between rival candidates senator Charlie Roan and minister Edwidge Owen. The characters bear similar resemblance to 2016 presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in more ways than just male versus female. Owen supports the continuation of an annual purge where for 24 hours nothing is illegal, while Roan is anti-purge.

The New Founding Fathers of America, who can be viewed as wealthy psychopaths, take viewers by surprise when they suddenly reject the rule that originally protected government officials from the purge. As Roan’s popularity among the people threatened The New Founding Father, they conspired to assassinate Roan, as she is now free game.

Roan fights for her life and the lives of innocent people along the way while Owens goes on a killing spree during the purge.

While, thankfully, the members of the current 2016 presidential campaign do not “purge,” Trump and Clinton are still involved in acts of hate by throwing verbal stabs and bullets at each other.

“Purge: Election Year,” concluded with Roan being elected president as a result of her popularity among the people and Owen being killed during the purge, while in reality, Americans will soon face the conclusion of the 2016 election and learn who will lead them for the next four years.

With Roan in office, there will no longer be an annual purge. However, this film still leaves viewers with a few unanswered questions: Will ceasing the annual purge really eliminate all problems in their society? And most importantly, will there be a Purge 4? 

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