10 Horror Movie Sequels That Saved The Franchise

10. The Purge: Anarchy

Let's face it: Whilst 2013's The Purge was an effective slice of social satire and home invasion horror, it didn't really exploit the promise of the film's ingenious premise.

The first film in the series starred Ethan Hawke as a harried suburban dad whose questionable morals are thrown into sharp relief when his creepy but well-meaning kid allows a vagrant to shelter from the eponymous violent free-for-all in their palatial upper class home.

Perfectly serviceable as a home invasion movie, the film didn't give viewers any idea of the Purge's scope, how it came into existence, and why any government would sanction such a brutal tradition. Luckily, that's why we have The Purge: Anarchy,

This bracing, brilliant action-oriented sequel took the Purge out of the suburbs and into the inner city, realising the series’ potential for both witty political satire and larger scale set pieces at once. Following a more diverse group of survivors, the film deepened the lore of the series whilst also providing some unsparing criticisms of American society and culture which were only implied by the more demure first film.