The sequel to the 2013 gory futuristic horror film comes with even more murderous cleansing not for the faint of heart. Moved from the “safe” home environment provided in the first installment into the merciless streets of the City of Angels, “The Purge: Anarchy” is bathed with heavier social undertones and outrageous violence.

With a whole new set of characters, the film ventures into the post-apocalyptic or zombie flick territory in which a group of people band together to survive. At the head of a makeshift team, trying to make it through the depraved holiday, is Frank Grillo as a Sergeant looking to take justice in his own hands. Recently, the tough looking but very friendly action man had a role in Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and is now the protagonist in James DeMonaco’s latest. He talked to us recently during a very unique outdoors press day in Downtown LA – very fitting.

Regarding the concept for the film Grillo said, “I think it’s great entertainment because innately I think all of us at some point have said “Man, I wish I could do this or do that,” and that’s how the movie was born. As a theory I think it is archaic and it could never work, but we need to do something because there is a civil unrest because of the socioeconomic differences of the haves and the have-nots. That’s something that we certainly wanted to address.”

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The actor pointed out that his relationship with director James DeMonaco is very close, so much that he assure neither of them would do a third installment without the other. In fact, “The Purge” was born out of an event in the director’s life, revealed Grillo, “James DeMonaco was with his wife, who is a doctor, they got cut off on the freeway and they had to pull over. It was almost a bad accident. She said, “If I could kill that guy and get away with it, I would” and then the idea was born. That’s when he said “I’m going to explore that as a film.”

Undoubtedly a scenario like the one depicted in the film would be horrific. Grillo is certain it would never be the answer regardless of all the pseudo benefits the fictional government in the film claims it would bring, “Whatever utopia like this in which crime doesn’t exist, eventually would turn into total chaos and anarchy and society, as we know it would stop existing. But as a film it works great. From the beginning of men we had to set up a civilized society with laws and rules, otherwise we couldn’t govern ourselves and we couldn’t govern our emotions. We would be extinct.”

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Nonetheless, Frank Grillo has an idea why these stories are so popular with audiences these days, “ I think in general people are frustrated in life. Whatever I go I see the frustration. I ride the subways in New York City. You ride the subway on a hot day in August and you see people who are going to jobs that a lot of them don’t want to be going to, but hey have to feed their kids. People are not happy. Then there are people who are on TV and do nothing and they make $60 million a year because they are famous. It’s not fair, that starts to erode people emotionally.”

On a lighter note, the charismatic actor mentioned that he was happy when the director allowed him to model his character on the great action heroes he admires, such as those in ’70s films like “Death Wish” and “Escape from New York.” He is interested in the physical aspect of being a badass tough guy, but that only works for him when there is a great story behind. “The Purge: Anarchy” will certainly be the first in many leading roles for the actor, who let us know that if this film does well, there is no limit to where the story could go.

“The Purge: Anarchy” is in theaters now, nationwide.