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Reel World: Crossing Arizona
By Joe Nguyen
nguyejos@mscd.edu

Courtesy of Rainlake Productions Crossing Arizona Not rated 85 minutes Opens Sept. 22

Everyone has an opinion about illegal immigration. While there are different ideas on what’s to be done, there is one thing all sides agree on: the current policy doesn’t work.

Joseph Mathew and Dan DeVivo examine the controversial topic in their new documentary Crossing Arizona. Their comprehensive investigation leads them to Arizona, where an estimated 1 million undocumented immigrants try to cross the desert each year.

The strength of the movie resides in the variety of perspectives provided. From farmers who depend on cheap migrant labor to the border patrol and the immigrants themselves, the filmmakers give anybody who has a stance on the matter some screen time.

Among the more interesting characters featured is Chris Simcox, the leader of Civil Homeland Defense, the group behind the infamous vigilante border patrollers known as the Minutemen. Part of the film follows his rise to the national spotlight when an appearance on a cable news network motivates hoards of volunteers to join his group.

The climax of the movie follows Arizona’s Proposition 200, a voter-fraud ballot measure, and how each side rallies their troops for Election Day. The proposal, dubbed “Protect Arizona Now,” would require residents to prove their citizenship before they can register to vote or apply for public benefits.

Unlike recent documentaries that propose a clear agenda and leave it up to the viewer to fill in the holes, Mathew and DeVivo avoid placing their own opinions into the film. Crossing Arizona observes those directly involved and refrains from commenting on right and wrong.

Crossing Arizona is a captivating and impartial glimpse into the heated issue of illegal immigration, allowing audience members to draw their own conclusions, which is a nice change.