Every Creepy Mask From The Purge Movies (Including The First Purge), Ranked
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The 4th of July is the anniversary of America's birth. But in 2018, it also served as the release day for The First Purge, because the filmmakers have the subtlety of a lead pipe. Perhaps if this continues, this will be the new Independence Day tradition, the way the Saw movies always debuted on Halloween.
In celebration of America's independence, we're ranking the disturbing, unsettling masks from the Purge movie franchise. It's the central irony of the films; Purging is supposed to be an annual release of everyone's true selves, but lots of people hide their faces while doing it. Here's a look at who's doing so with the best look (spoiler: weird cone mask guy is not No. 1).
You may want to hold off on looking if you've yet to see the newest entry in the series. If you haven't done so, you may want to consider checking out our First Purge review before doing so, as it raises a number of concerns about this entry, which was directed by Gerard McMurray, rather than James DeMonaco, who helmed the earlier movies. DeMonaco did, however, write this film.
"2016's The Purge: Election Year ended on a hopeful note. That movie tried to mirror the real world too, but the real life politics it mimicked turned out much differently than the film's," writes Mike Rougeau. "In 2018, we could have used a movie where, for once, the good guys won. The fact that series creator James DeMonaco, who's written all four entries and directed the three before this, chose to give us a prequel instead is empirical evidence that he may be out of good ideas.
35. The Weird Cone Mask Guy: The Purge: Election Year
He's a member of Uncle Sam's crew from the third movie. I don't even know what this is. It's definitely the worst costume amongst a bunch of fantastic ones.
34. The Demon Mouth: The Purge: Anarchy
Apparently, this guy is a WWE fan and loves Finn Balor. It's nice to know that wrasslin' survives America's collapse.
33. The Raver Skull Girl: The First Purge
From what we can see from the trailer, the first annual Purge started out with a massive rave and not nearly as much killing as one might expect. But take a look at Raver Skull Girl. She definitely knows what's up.
32. Benjamin Franklin: The Purge: Election Year
No doubt, the booziest of our founding fathers would have embraced the annual Purge. Inventing the Franklin stove has nothing on state-sanctioned murder.
31. The Blackface Purger: The Purge: Election Year
This was the first mask in the third movie, and it let us know that Election Year would be a much more obvious satire of America. It's based off a well-known racial caricature, right down to its wide eyes and pitch-black face.
30. The Statue of Liberty (Version 2.0): The First Purge
This was the promotional poster for the fourth movie. But it's more cool-looking than creepy, and it's definitely a step down from the Lady Liberty in the third movie.
29. The Clownface Girl: The Purge: Election Year
She's one of the Candy Bar Girl lackeys from the third movie. She's a typical "scary clown." Other Purgers spent a little more time on their costumes the night beforehand, though. C+.
28. The Mace Wielder: The Purge: Election Year
This is a confusing tangle of metal and wire, like he just walked out of a second-rate Thunderdome.
27. George Washington: The Purge: Election Year
The founding father of our country went from chopping down cherry trees to chopping off heads.
26. Anime Lamb Girl: The Purge: Election Year
A minor member of Candy Bar Girl's crew, Anime Lamb Girl is there in one scene and gone in the next. Maybe she got smart and went home.
25. Patrick Henry: The Purge: Election Year
“Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
24. The Lingerie Model: The Purge: Election Year
One of Candy Bar Girl's lackeys, she was the sexiest Venom symbiote on Purge night.
23. The Salesman: The Purge: Election Year
This guy deserves an elbow to the mouth for jumping in front of and startling his potential customers. It's hard enough to deal with the annual Purge without this guy messing with you before sunset.
22. The Window Man: The First Purge
That's just unwholesome. What the hell is that? We don't know. And we don't want to know.
21. The Deformed School Boy: The Purge
Preppy jock meets Eyes Wide Shut. This was the best screencap of him from the entire film; he took a bullet to the head almost immediately after entering the Sandin household. Unfortunately for him, creepiness doesn't equate to peripheral vision.
19. & 20. The Two Skipping Girls: The Purge
The Purge was the last film cameo for Joan Rivers, seen here with daughter Melissa. (Not really, but can you see the resemblance?)
18. The Blue-Faced Ape Man: The Purge: Anarchy
This primate with an overbite had a blink-and-you'll-miss-him appearance, but was definitely scary. The filmmakers paid careful attention to lighting him; the half-in-light, half-in-shadow effect is an oldie but a goodie.
17. The Bird Flipper: The Purge
He's upset, because not only is he deformed, he also has a receding hairline.
16. The Massive Raver Devil: The First Purge
The filmmakers finally got tired of beating around the bush. They put a big ol' Satan head right in the trailer for the new movie.
15. Chainsaw Girl: The Purge: Election Year
Wearing a surgical mask whilst brandishing a chainsaw was a particularly witty, dark-humored joke in the third movie.
14. The Interrupter: The Purge
The design of this guy's mask is actually pretty scary. But The Interrupter lasts too fleetingly to make an impact. He rants for exactly three seconds before Polite Leader gets tired of listening to his crap and shuts him up, permanently.
13. The Hipster Lumberjack: The Purge
Of course the Seattle hipsters are part of our dystopian future.
12. The Flukeman: The First Purge
Apparently, the massive Flukeman from The X-Files took a break from popping out of toilets to star in this new film.
11. The Polite Leader: The Purge
He only wears his mask for a few seconds before taking it off for the remainder of the movie. But the gang's leader probably has the most iconic look, because he was used in all the promotional shots. The actor, Rhys Wakefield, has such an expressive face, that he looks more exaggerated with his mask off than on.
10. The Half-Skull Biker: The Purge: Anarchy
Aside from the God Leader's, this is the scariest mask from the second film. The missing jaw makes him look a bit like Shao Kahn, if Shao Kahn decided to join a biker gang.
9. The Guy in the Hoodie: The Purge
Here's the worst jump scare of the first film--the payoff after stumbling aimlessly in the dark for 40 minutes.
8. The Motorcyclist: The Purge: Anarchy
Vroooooom!! The weird fencing-helmet-meets-motorcycle-helmet looks terrifying.
7. Abraham Lincoln: The Purge: Election Year
Born in a log cabin from humble means, Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, is widely considered our greatest president, thanks to his firm leadership, preservation of our Union, and good humor.
6. Uncle Sam: The Purge: Election Year
Uncle Sam didn't need help looking more freaky than he already is. "I WANT YOU! To participate in the annual Purge!"
5. The Big Pig: The Purge: Election Year
A massive, stuffed, bloody pig costume is disturbing enough. But the oversized pacifier crammed into its mouth seals the deal.
4. Betsy Ross: The Purge: Election Year
After sewing the first American flag, Betsy Ross loved it so much that she painted it on her face.
3. The Candy Bar Girl: The Purge Election Year
This is why you don't piss anybody off the day before the annual Purge. If I had a store, and I saw someone stealing a candy bar? She can take the whole box, as far as I'm concerned. Just don't show up with your fabulous, murderous crew the following day.
2. The Waving God: The Purge: Anarchy
The leader of the main gang from the second movie, he makes the most of his screen-time with a weak, cloying wave that sent chills down our spines.
1. The Statue of Liberty: The Purge: Election Year
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Lady Liberty (Version 1.0) has a DIY, punk rock look to her, with light-up, X-ed out eyes and a burnt looking face. She's a perfect send-up and subversion of America under the New Founding Fathers, and that's what makes her No. 1.