The Gatekeepers

So maybe you think it’s a snooze to watch a documentary about talking heads yapping about government sanctioned violence. You couldn’t be more wrong. In Shin Bet counterterrorism agency, from 1980 to 2011, give shocking and illuminating testimony about the moral obstacle courses you have to run when you claim you’re fighting to the death for a lasting peace. Sure, Moreh is talking about Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the granting of Palestinian statehood. But the dealings of Shin Bet (translated as “in service of safety”) and the collateral damage that comes with covert actions can apply to secret service agencies much closer to home. All the men (interviewed separately) ­ Avraham Shalom, Yaakov Peri, Carmi Gillon, Ami Ayalon, Avi Dichter, Yuval Diskin ­ are thoughtful and blunt about their decisions. It’s arguable whether the film needed Moreh’s computer-generated simulations of Shin Bet bombings. These voices are enough to keep you riveted. The Gatekeepers cuts deeper than any political thriller. It’s a powerhouse.