The Gatekeeper (2002) User Reviews

Shades of Uncle Tom's Cabin

[ikanboy · 4/10 · 21 August 2003]

This movie has had a lot of favorable press from Hispanic audiences. The local (Tucson) media has been kind to it. A work of art it is not. So the question is whether you pay attention to the message, or get turned of, like I did, with how it was delivered. We definetly need good movies about the subject of Mexicans flowing into North America. This is not one of them. Once again we learn that actors should not write, direct and star in their own vehicles; as it just leads to a myopathic product.

Amateurs can do great work but almost everything about this movie is C grade. The bad guys all have one expression: self satisfying smirks. All of them must have gone to the Simon Legree school of villainous acting. I would have almost preferred it if they had gone to the Snidely Whiplash graduate school of delightful self parody! And when they misbehave it's in spades, so we can really loathe them. Speaking of Simon Legree there is an Uncle Tom's Cabin kind of simplicity to the movie. There are no shades to the characters, all are one - dimensional. We are forced to like the victims and hate the victimizers.

Frey decides to make his character an angry self loathing bigotted caricature, so that in the end I didn't care if he was redeemed, because he was now an angry other loathing bigotted caricature! Has he grown? We never find out, but in the cliches of these kind of movies we are to presume that he does.

An interesting twist is that the movie is in English with Spanish subtitles. I assume Frey did this to attract an Anglo audience. It would have worked better the other way around, so that the plot could have had a Mexican rhythm to it, and thereby somewhat masked it's faults.

Good Message, but...

[TheWoodyMan03 · 6/10 · 24 May 2004]

Imagine hating your own race so much that you are willing to fight against them. This is what Adam Fields life is like in The Gatekeeper.

Adam Fields is a border patrol officer, whose goal is to prevent Mexicans, whom he hates with a passion, from illegally crossing over into America. He is so passionate and committed to his cause that he decides to go on an undercover mission (proposed by a Mexican Hate group he belongs to) where he wears a GPS device so that they can understand how Mexicans cross the border.

***SPOILERS***

I really liked the journey of the main character. His acting was incredible in the sense that in the beginning you could relate to and begin to rationalize his hatred of the Mexican culture and people, but at the end you really saw a change in him.

Despite the great acting on John Carlos Frey's part, this movie did not rank high in my book. I would describe this move as dull, boring, and slow. It had a good concept, but the writing was terrible. It could have been really suspenseful and entertaining when Adam was faced with making drugs for a year to work off the trip. The writers also could have developed the part where Adam is discovered as being a cop. Sure, this would make the movie a little more "Hollywood" but a movie should at least provide some entertainment value rather than just trying to abstractly make a statement. Overall, I give this movie a 6 out of 10, strictly because of the acting and message.

A very uneven film

[Tiger_Mark · 6/10 · 20 July 2003]

The story line is one that appeals to me, being a resident of the Southwest. I have heard every argument pertaining to illegal immigration and kind of stand in the middle of the two sides brought up in this film. In this film, the main character is a self-hating, half-Mexican, border patrol officer. He loathes the illegals with all of his might and makes sure everybody is aware of how he feels (even his fiance, who, why she likes him, I have no idea). The man is a lousy human being. He associates with a racist group that is trying to defame the Mexican people in every way it can. They decide that our main character will go undercover to expose how the illegals come into the country (as if nobody knew). How this will bolster their cause, I don't know. Well, he will make the trip and he will alter his view of these people that he once hated and see that their lives are much harder than anything he has had to deal with. The film is not terrible, but it is far from great. Some scenes are really good, but others are just eye-straining bad, which is understandable for a low-budget film. The plot does strain credibility towards the end, and then some. However, if you are interested in seeing a film dealing with Mexican-American relations, well, this is pretty good, well, it is not that bad.

Powerful, yet quirky.

[faloopnik2 · 22 June 2003]

I just caught a screening of this film in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It deals with racism and the experience of Mexicans crossing the US border for a better life; unfortunately that life is working in a crystal meth laboratory. I wish that it had more development about its main character, a self-hating Mexican-American

border guard, who goes undercover with a group of illegal aliens. He eventually gets a change of heart, once he crosses the border and develops a

cameraderie with his fellow workers, and realizes how harsh their reality is.

Two sequences were extremely powerful: One, where he confronts his dying

mother, and refuses to acknowledge her was powerful; the anger incredibly

convincing. The other was a scene with the workers singing about their trek into California, and how their only goal is to make a better life for their families.

It's worth checking out, especially since this appears to be a first time director with an edge.

unfortunately...

[glopezruelas · 1/10 · 16 August 2003]

I hardly ever say this, but this is a very, very bad movie. I gave it a one...I don't think I'd ever rated a movie a one, out of dozens of movies I've rated. For starters, the portrayals are COMPLETELY inaccurate. I grew up in a border town in Mexico (before eventually moving to the border town in the U.S.), and this is not even close to reality. Sure, movies are not reality, but this movie also has no point, no real story, horrendous acting, and, the worst aspect of the movie, an awful script. Every line is not only full of cheese, but it actually doesn't mean anything (to the movie or to real life). Please, if you ever see this movie, do not even begin to consider the possibility of getting anything informative out of it. I really dislike bashing someone, but I can't help to think how in the world this guy got to make this movie and, worst of all, release it nationwide. Again, portrayals of ALL people (not only Mexicans) and individual characters are especially unjust. I actually went into the theatre with a positive attitude and favorable expectations, so if it would've been something in-the-middle, I would've given you the benefit of the doubt, but the truth is that, *gulp*, this is the worst movie I recall watching.

interesting take on a controversial subject . . .

[elzaminor · 6/10 · 30 November 2005]

While I agree with many others that this film had many unrealistic lines and images, I feel the big picture frey was going for was achieved in showing a rarely seen take on illegal immigration. I know quite a few people who are 'half and half' and many are very conflicted about what to think of and/or how to deal with the illegal immigration problem. So I forgive many of the criticisms from a film making point of view because it did present a very realistic portrait of one man's struggle.

while I would not give him any directorial awards, I think he was the perfect choice to star in this. I sure would have selected an actual latina for the female role of Eva, but he financed the thing. I feel he would have had better luck by not going astroid with a pretty far out there 'work it off for a year' thing. 99% of the people coming across are let go the second money hits the coyote's palm. Same with the multiple murder. That makes for a great trailer, but how often does that happen? I guess when you do your own financing you can take a liberty or two. So I suggest it for those who have an interest in this topic. If you're in film school and desperately need ideas on how to become the next Scorcese, pick another flick.

A Pleasant Surprise!

[jorgebernardo · 9/10 · 30 September 2003]

Well, I liked so much about this movie...I was captivated, I was compelled, I thought the acting was tremendous, I was into it hook, line and sinker, and I think the filmmaker should be commended for an amazing job on a shoestring budget. I think most audiences will adore this film. Best of luck to "The Gatekeeper".

Immigration Reform

[pacieterra-1 · 8/10 · 15 December 2006]

Although this engrossing film was, apparently, produced on a limited budget, John Carlos Frey, (writer, director, actor), has secured a good insight into illegal border hoppers, mercenary coyotes, and illicit drug manufacturing. The visuals are stunning and newsworthy realistic. All the major players, (particularly Frey himself), turn in exceptionally sensitive characterizations. The opening scenes of secret vigilantes and a rogue border patrolman voicing racial epithets, (and other vile racist attitudes), is difficult to watch. However, the final reclamation of the border cop's heritage and spiritual reformation make this a strong entry in the search for peace and security for everyone on both sides of the Rio Grande.

Accurate and heart-wrenching portrayal of border saga

[gilipollas · 10/10 · 23 September 2003]

I actually thought this movie was really good. Especially if you consider they filmed it in 18 days with only 200,000 dollars, as I was told by the J.C. Frey, the Director/writer/main actor, when they screened the film here at the U of A, in Tucson. The story is mostly accurate from what I've witnessed living in Tucson for 5 years and Phoenix for 10. So many Mexicans die crossing the border, their families are split in search of better jobs, or they are coerced into criminal labor that I think a movie like this puts the issues at the forefront. Hell, the migrant group (secondary actors with little or no speaking roles) were real Mexican workers who the film crew hired for realism. I think that's really cool.

And for someone living in Arizona, where the previews at theaters are often preempted by "Methlabs and kids don't mix" anouncements, the story of Adam/Juan Carlos being forced to work in the methlab is all too real. Just because this is an independent movie and therefore limited to resources doesn't mean it's bad. The secondary theme of Adam rediscovering his Mexican roots is very powerful and also a very prevalent theme in the southwest, especially.

should be seen

[rac415 · 9/10 · 28 October 2003]

Ok, this is not a great film. It was shot on digital video in 18 days, with a budget of 200,000. However I scored this a 9, because it has more heart and passion than anything Hollywood has put out lately. It should be seen by everyone, especially if you live in a border state. It starts off with some truly awkward racist remarks that will make you squirm. Honestly, I was at first turned off and considered leaving. But stick with it, because after about 15 minutes you will be hooked. Low budget be damned. The director actor star should be applauded and rewarded for bringing this labor of compassion to the screen. It is an important issue, and my eyes were opened.

not worth watching

[rxw · 11 November 2003]

spoilers ahead:

it's clear that frey wanted to do something with this movie. what's not as clear is what that something is. the setup is classic; his character is self hating, and works as an oppressor against the social group of which he is a member. through a rather contrived plan, he is to disguise himself (or remove his disguise?), becoming a Mexican, and expose something or other by trying to cross the border from Mexico to the US.

great setup, no? the literal journey mirrors the metaphorical one. I expected a tidy and satisfying wrap up where his character grows and becomes accepting of his cultural heritage.

what I didn't expect was this mess. no growth, no narrative drive. and perhaps most damning, the movie wasn't entertaining at all. I didn't care about his plight, I wasn't educated about the c. 2003 situation at the border of Mexico and the US.

spare yourself.

Realistic depiction of lives of border crossers

[cactuscathy · 10/10 · 18 August 2003]

From one who lives in the desert, who has provided water to migrant and who has seen the suffering, thank you John Carlos Frey for this tribute to the dignity of the human spirit. And thank you for donating proceeds of your film to Humane Borders.

A Triumphant 1st Film!

[jamigo4 · 10/10 · 2 April 2008]

Few people saw this film outside of some festivals, but I was delighted to discover it on DVD at my local library. My impressions moved from mild curiosity into serious involvement within 30 minutes. The "illegal" Mexican Work Force is as vital to the American Economy Today as slavery was 200 years ago, and these hard workers are reviled politically at least as much as the slaves were during the time of the "Founding Fathers".

In music we recall their story in "Deportees" by Woody Gutherie and now "Sinaloa Cowboys" by Bruce Springsteen on the closing credits of this fine film, which echoes the theme of the story we have just witnessed. The director gives us characters we care about, supplemented with the use of "Non-Actors" in the tradition of Eisenstein,"Salt of the Earth" and India's Satyajit Ray! As a filmmaker myself, I say "Bravo"! If John Carlos Frey never made another film, he would have left us with "The Gatekeeper" as an important legacy of one significant aspect of America in the early 21st Century.

I will spread the word on this one to my friends, even as I investigate Frey's two newest films, not yet listed on the IMDb! Be sure to check out the "Gatekeeper Productions" web site!

Amazing!!

[[e-mail] · 10/10 · 25 September 2003]

John Carlos Frey captured such a controversial topic and displayed it on film in such an astounding manner. It was genuine in its message and I thank him for creating such a masterpiece! This film is for everyone. Those that are ignorant will understand, those that understand will cry, those indifferent will realize that we have a undercover war on the US-Mexico border. This film is unbelievable to say the least!!

Good film

[donwilhelm · 11 May 2004]

I've just come from seeing "The Gatekeeper" and liked it. It's fairly (although not absolutely) obvious that it's low budget. Casting is good, direction seemed good. .

The issue of illegal immigrants is one I'm very interested in. I live in southern California, a transplant from the Pacific Northwest, and CANNOT understand Californians (Anglo) who otherwise seem intelligent, enlightened, progressive, but become incredible bigots and racists as soon as one mentions "mess-gans".

A progressive TV program here in CA done by PBS ("California Connected") attempted to address this issue a week or so ago and all it addressed was the strong opinions, pro and con, about the people coming here from across the border.

I'm still trying to understand and perhaps never will.