The Gatekeepers - B

Rated PG-13, 97 minutes

Compelling doc "The Gatekeepers" sheds new light on Middle East

The Gatekeepers

"The Gatekeepers" is the Oscar-nominated feature documentary featuring separate interviews with former heads of the Isreali intelligence agency Shin-Bet and their role in helping that country over the last 30 years. Fascinating and loaded with lots of historical footage, it becomes a little dry and redundant in its final segments but is an interesting look at the Middle East situation from an intelligence view. Directed by Israeli fillmmaker Dror Moreh, the film features the first-ever interviews with former heads of Shin-Bet, the Isreali version of the CIA. Ami Ayalon, Avi Dichter, Yuval Diskin, Carmi Gillon, Yakkov Peri and Avraham Shalom give accounts of various people and situations throughout their tenure, their successes and failures and how it may or may not have helped shaped the country and the conflicts in the Middle East as a whole. Told in loose chronological order over seven segments, "The Gatekeepers" is by and large a fascinating portrait of the men who helped run the uncover operations of the secretive agency that provides a few powerful moments. That would include some of the confessions of the men, including Peri's statement that “These moments end up etched deep inside you, and when you retire, you become a bit of a leftist.” Also one of the more memorable moments includes Shalom's discussion of the 300 bus hijacking and the subsequent execution of the hijackers that eventually led to his resignation. Hesitant at first but with a little prodding finally recalls the moments that he gave the orders to kill the hijackers. "The Gatekeepers" also is effective at examining some of the controversies f the group, including collateral damage and torture that are also common with American intelligence. The final couple of segments are less effective and becomes a little repetitive and dry, but overall "The Gatekeepers" is a worthy, thoughtful documentary that looks at some relevant political, moral and military issues affecting the Middle East.

Wes's Grade: B