Aarcflick

 *The Gates*, by John Burr, is a thriller about three Black college students who find themselves trapped in a gated community in Texas—one populated predominantly by wealthy white residents. The young men are viewed with suspicion and, eventually, hunted through the neighborhood as if they were criminals. Undoubtedly, the film aims to convey the anxiety and terror experienced by people of color when they are stopped by a white police officer or accused of a crime based solely on their physical appearance. It also confronts the ways in which Christianity can be performative—used as a mask to conceal all manner of hateful ideologies and behaviors. Given all this, Burr’s film could elicit an intense reaction from viewers, one way or another. Some will dismiss the material, labeling it "woke"; though, in all likelihood, if they use that term pejoratively, they wouldn't have watched *The Gates* after reading its synopsis anyway. Others may wonder if Burr goes too far—or even i...