In the FOXlight: Frank Grillo Says 'The Purge: Election Year' Is a Throwback to '70s Action Films

Most horror franchises run out of gas after a few sequels, but "The Purge: Election Year" proves there's still plenty of nightmare fuel to keep the series fresh and innovative.

Set in an alternate reality where all crime is legal for one night per year, "The Purge: Election Year" picks up a few years after the events of "Anarchy." And this time around, former police sergeant Leo Barnes is tasked with protecting a presidential candidate during another nail-biting night of "purging."

"It's that kind of stylized, intense, in-your-face, a bit over-the-top entertainment," says Frank Grillo, who stars as Barnes. "It's not to be taken like cinéma vérité, where it's a little slice of life. It's a stylized, big fun action movie with a message."

In addition to all that over-the-top entertainment, Grillo also admits that "Election Year" is a bit of a throwstark to the action films of the '70s after hearing his character described as "Clint Eastwood-ian."

"That means [director] James DeMonaco and I have done our job, because that's by design," says Grillo. "We kind of fashion these movies after that."

Watch the rest of Michael Tammero's "In the FOXlight" interview with Grillo above, then check out "The Purge: Election Year," currenty in theaters.