''Undocumented'' is a 2010 independent

horror thriller Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

directed by Chris Peckover and written by Chris Peckover and Joe Peterson. It stars Scott Mechlowicz, Alona Tal, Yancey Arias, Kevin Weisman and

Peter Stormare Rolf Peter Ingvar Stormare (; Birth name, né Storm, 27 August 1953) is a Swedish actor. He played Prince Hamlet, Hamlet for Ingmar Bergman, Gaear Grimsrud in the film ''Fargo (1996 film), Fargo'' (1996) and List of Prison Break characters#John ...

Plot

Filmmakers Travis, William, Liz, Davie, and Jim are filming a documentary on illegal Mexican immigrants. After interviewing several of Davie's family members and harassing an employer of illegal immigrants named Whitaker, the group accompanies a large group of immigrants including Davie's cousin Alberto and his wife and child, across the

Mexico–United States border The international border separating Mexico and the United States extends from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from urban areas to deserts. It is the List of ...

. Once in the United States, the truck carrying the immigrants is stopped and taken by what seems to be the

United States Border Patrol The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and is responsible for secu ...

. The truck is instead taken to a facility where the filmmakers are interrogated and the immigrants taken captive. The group that has taken them is a radical patriot group that despises illegal immigrants, Mexicans in particular. The patriots, led by "Z," gives the filmmakers a proposition; film the patriots and document their torture of illegal immigrants, and be let free, or die along with the immigrants. The leader of the patriots lets all of the immigrant children go, including Alberto's daughter. The first part the filmmakers must film is the torture of an immigrant who smuggles drugs across the border into the U.S. Liz tries to intervene but the immigrant is beaten to death. The next morning, one of Z's henchman give the filmmakers a tour of the facility. When they are shown around the "pens" holding men and women, Alberto becomes enraged and is sprayed by a high pressure hose. Alberto is then taken to a room where he is quizzed on America's government and history. If he gets a question wrong, Alberto's wife's joints are pulled into stress positions. When asked which historical figure said " Give me liberty or give me death!", Alberto incorrectly answers

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

after being given the answer by William, causing Alberto's wife and William to be killed. The same night, the group tries to escape from the facility in the cover of darkness by using the night vision mode on their camera. During the attempt, Travis knocks over a metal fence, causing Z's wife to check on the imprisoned immigrants, where the filmmakers are hiding. After a close call, the group escapes outside, where they find the body of Alberto's daughter caught in

razor wire Barbed tape or razor wire is a mesh of metal strips with sharp edges whose purpose is to prevent trespassing by humans or to secure facilities such as prisons where there is a risk of escape. The term "razor wire", through long usage, has gener ...

. Alberto's grieving alerts Z's henchman and a watchdog that mangles Jim's arm and leg. The group is recaptured, with a permanent guard standing watch outside of their room. They are then forced to record a conscious immigrants organ removal, where the appalling scene causes Jim to collapse. When the filmmakers visit Jim, Liz gets into an altercation with Z, leading to them being trapped back in their room. After trying to signal a truck that was unknowingly operated by one of Z's henchmen, Davie's aunt is killed, leading to Davie being beaten to death after attacking a henchman. Travis is then forced to "interview" Whitaker and the coyote who led the immigrants into Mexico. Both are subsequently killed by Z. As a "parting gift," Liz and Travis are branded with the radical group's symbol. A sedated and delirious Travis is forced to swing a baseball bat at a

piñata A piñata (, ) is a container, often made of papier-mâché, pottery, or cloth, that is decorated, filled with candy, and then broken as part of a celebration. Piñatas are commonly associated with Mexico. The idea of breaking a container fill ...

that is unknowingly wrapped around Jim. Liz attempts to kill Z with the bat, but is also sedated before she can strike him. Travis and Liz are told they will be kept indefinitely. When the henchman in charge of guarding Travis and Liz gets impatient, Travis beats him to death and steals his gun, shooting a second henchman in the leg. Travis and Liz release the immigrants and save Alberto. When they attempt to start an old truck, Z nearly kills Travis, but he is shot by Alberto before doing so. After escaping, it is shown that the three reached help, and state police raided the compound. Alberto is sent back to Mexico after nine months and anonymous tapes are sent to a media center in

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

, showing Z with an even larger group.

Cast

* Scott Mechlowicz as Travis * Alona Tal as Liz *

as Z * Yancey Arias as Alberto * Kevin Weisman as Jim * Greg Serano as Davie *

Noah Segan Noah Segan is an American actor. He is best known for his work in the films of Rian Johnson (''Looper (film), Looper'', ''Brick (film), Brick'', ''Knives Out'') as well as his appearance in ''Deadgirl''. Early life Segan is the grandson of Amer ...

as Klaus *

Nicholas Tucci Nicholas Whitney Tucci (April 3, 1981 – March 3, 2020) was an American actor. Early life Tucci was born in Middletown, Connecticut in 1981. He attended Middletown High School (Connecticut), Middletown High School in his hometown, and earned a ba ...

as The Artist * Adam Kulbersh as Remy * Jose Marquez as Miguel * Deborah Martinez as Ophelia * Castulo Guerra as Coyote * Greta Quezada as Marta * Julianne Flores as Pregnant Girl * Miguel Martinez as Donor * Nya Serano as Davie's Daughter * Myrna Vigil as Hysterical Woman * Giovanni Olsen as Grandson * Marc Miles as Sheriff * Richard Christie as Deputy * Emelie O'Hara as Student #1 * Arron Shiver as Film Professor * Kevin Wiggins as Tow Truck Driver * Jsu Garcia as El Torro * Leonardo Krys as the Judge * Tom Connolly as Brad * Tim Draxl as William * Christopher Dempsey as Border Patrol Officer Marsh * Chad Brummett as Whitaker * Adam Kulbersh as Remy * Christian Di Salvo as Dead Body * Rafael Herrera as Bushy eyebrows * Amy Baklini as Prisoner * Casey Adams as Student * Carmen Corral as Maria * Jesus Mayorga as Cholo * Lorél Medina as Selina * Tina Borek as Maid Maria * Chris Bentley as Graduate Student

References

External links

* * {{rotten-tomatoes, undocumented_2011 2010 films 2010 horror thriller films American independent films American horror thriller films Found footage films 2010 independent films Films produced by Keith Calder Films about illegal immigration to the United States Films about filmmaking Films about torture Films set in Arizona 2010s English-language films 2010s American films English-language horror thriller films English-language independent films