Title:
Undocumented
Year:
2010
Genre:
Horror
Director:
Chris Peckover
Writer:
Chris Peckover, Joe Peterson
Runtime:
96min
Cast:
Scott Mechlowicz, Alona Tal, Yancey Arias, Greg Serano, Kevin Weisman, Peter
Stormare
Produc.:
Sheperd Glen Productions
Budget:
$1.400.000 million approx.
In
Undocumented, a team of documentary
students joins a group of mexicans, with the intention of registering their
illegal crossing over into the United States.
Travis (Scott Mechlowicz) is the director;
Davie (Greg Serano), the cameraman; Jim (Kevin Weisman), the soundguy; and Liz
(Alona Tal), the producer. These four friends have decided to follow from very
close, an attempt of emigration. It is clear that for them, the end justifies
the means.
Shortly before departing, the team meets Alberto
(Yancey Arias), one of those interested in leaving. With the introductions
being made, Alberto talks to the camera. This man, who is about to break the
law, smiles as he tells his story, happy for the opportunity that is oppening to
him tomorrow. His story is summarized as a great desire for giving a better
quality of life to his wife and daughter.
Before we appreciate what is that awaits them
both, filmmakers as mexicans, this complex socio – political issue will have quickly
been raised to us. This, probably very difficult to understand, if one has not
been born in one of these two northern countries.
During the interview, at no time Alberto appears to be conceited, and instead, his joy is sincere. With this, what I
mean to say is that this individual probably never wanted to get to this point,
if could been avoided. His situation, however, would eventually end up forcing
him to have to resort to such measures. Whether or not, justifiably, that's
another thing. I, of course, just expose it, aware that it is much easier to
say it from the outside, when not being in one of the two sides.
The film crew then follows the steps of these
illegals. With them, they first go through an underground tunnel. Then they get
into a truck, from where before they had been flashed the lights. Once they are
all up is when the risks are increased, until luck abandons them.
Undocumented takes to the extreme, and to the
last and most unthinkable consequences, the rejection of the intruder. The
usual, in a case of this nature, would be that one ended up meeting with the
border patrol. In this case, that would be even laughable. Instead of law
abiding sane people, what they come across with is a band of hooded patriots,
who take their offense too much seriously. Their leader is the dreaded Z (Peter
Stormare), a sadist for whom the unallowed crossing means they deserve to be punished.
When filmmakers and mexicans are imprisoned,
the situation for the Spanish speakers is the worst, because they might end up
being tortured in the style of Hostel
(2006). But for the students team, Z has already booked other plans. Since
they are filmmakers, of them filming his atrocities to the letter, depends
whether or not he finishes with them. But what is clear to all is that with
these hooded men you do not play. The thing is that Z has already got in his
facilities a collection of illegals, who are trapped in inhumane conditions.
There are two scenes in the film that stand out
for their cruelty. In one, we see how Z grants the freedom to Selina (Lorel
Medina), Alberto´s daughter, and who should immediately leave her parents and
run away, if she wants to save herself. Z tells the girl which way she has to
follow, but aware that the fear will eventually play a trick on her. Later, in
a failed attempt of escape, the youngsters get to see how the kid had ended
tangled in the barbed wire that surrounded the area. A really raw and daunting
picture, and more for Alberto.
In another scene, Alberto is sitting before a displayed
American flag and has to answer correctly to questions of American history. For
every answer that he does not knows, his wife will be severely punished. The
scene itself seeks to generate pain, although it does, again, reference to
political matters.
In the end, Undocumented
is an entertaining horror film, which takes this social problem of always, and
tries to imagine what it would be like if there were more extreme reprimands.
My
rating: 7/10
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