Posted: 01/16/2012

Undocumented

(2010)

by Joe Sanders

Now available on DVD from IFC Films and MPI Media Group.

5 grad students go to Mexico to make a documentary about illegal immigration. They talk to families planning to make a jump to the US, and even arrange to be smuggled across the border with the immigrants. Once over the border, the truck carrying the immigrants is high jacked and taken to a warehouse in the middle of nowhere, where a rogue group of anti-immigrant extremists imprison the Mexicans, and put the documentarians to work filming their “patriotic” activities; defending our borders from the Mexican invasion. The extremists are ruthless and merciless towards the immigrants, as well as any member of the documentary team that tries to cross them in some way; cementing us in a horror movie world more all-consuming than most any horror film in recent history.

The central cast here is pretty strong. Scott Mechlowicz (Eurotrip) plays Travis, the head of the documentary film crew. His love interest, Liz (Alona Tal), is Travis’s ex-girlfriend and the producer for their film. These two do a very good job of carrying the film and create a realistically terrified pair with these characters. Although, it has to be pointed out that the characters get to a point where they’re almost desensitized to the violence and horror around them; when they accept their own powerlessness and fine a good balance with the ambivalence that would create. It’s very impressive.

The supporting cast are comprised of fairly stock characters, but each serve their purpose of establishing the tension of the situation well. As documentary filmmakers, we’re able to see the horror they’re going through emphasized by their trying to keep it together. It’s an interesting narrative device at work here. Beyond the filmmakers, the largest immigrant character is Alberto (Yancey Arias), who is migrating to America with his wife and young daughter when everyone is taken prisoner. Arias’ performance here is incredible. His arc and what his character is forced to go through will surely be the emotional center for the audience.

Obviously the stand out performance here comes from Peter Stormare (Fargo), who is always scary and imposing, but hits a new height of menacing with his portrayal of the extremists’ leader, Z. Viewers may not recognize Stormare in this role, as he wears a mask through the entirety of the film. There was one point where I thought I recognized his voice, but dismissed this thought because Stormare is a fairly slender, lanky guy. Here, he is big and bulky, and the audience knows by looking at him that he is a powerful force.

Fortunately, the documentary style here does not dominate how we are forced to watch the film. It’s obligatory that we get some hand-held shots from the characters’ cameras, but director Chris Peckover finds a good balance between handheld and steady cam shots. The fact that the characters are film students and somewhat capable with this equipment makes it okay for us to move away from a Cloverfield or Blair Witch Project type of situation.

At its heart, Undocumented does have a rather preachy message about tolerance towards immigrants. It’s not the biggest pill you’ll have to swallow watching a movie, and being yelled at about how terrible Americans can be is definitely worth the final product here. The only special feature of note is an alternate beginning, which was thankfully thrown out. Among other things, it establishes that we’re in a horror movie right away, rather than the existing cut which starts off as a faux docudrama about immigration, and then when the horror story sets in, it’s a nice surprise and catches the audience off guard as much as the characters in the film. Cutting this opening was a great idea.

Joe Sanders is a playwright and college instructor in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He has a Master’s degree in playwriting and a Bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Western Michigan University, where he currently teaches Thought and Writing.

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