Crossing Arizona is a small documentary about the illegal immigration that goes on daily between the Mexico-Arizona border. Unlike some documentaries on this issue, the filmmakers do a good job of showing both sides of the story. Whether it's the people who bring the immigrants water on a day to day basis or it's the minutemen volunteering to stop crossings, this film examines the struggles that people living around this area go through in this constant fight to live.
Part of the reason why the documentary kept me engaged was the constant back and forth between sides. You would here the policemen/minutemen talk about how many people die each year coming across the border and whether or not its worth it. Then the very next scene shows the people living on the border who help the migrants or even an immigrant themselves talk about how important it is to get a job to support their family. It's that constant balance of opinions that I thought kept this film afloat. I also appreciated how there is no typical documentary narration or voice of god taking over your own opinions. For the most part the doc gives us facts and real life scenarios without making us feel one way or the other.
The thing that this documentary touches on a little bit, which I believe to be fact, is that immigration will always be a thing. We can try to do our best to keep everyone out but it's always going to be there. I don't have any problem with people helping other people get across, or at least keep them alive. Nor do I have any problem with people protesting immigration or at least stating their opinion. As long as they are not directly hurting them. So Crossing Arizona is an example of a well made documentary that played the topic coy about what exactly they wanted to show but it was successful in giving a thought provoking doc about immigration.
+Gives both sides
+Understanding both sides
-Could have gone more in depth with the issues
7.2/10
Part of the reason why the documentary kept me engaged was the constant back and forth between sides. You would here the policemen/minutemen talk about how many people die each year coming across the border and whether or not its worth it. Then the very next scene shows the people living on the border who help the migrants or even an immigrant themselves talk about how important it is to get a job to support their family. It's that constant balance of opinions that I thought kept this film afloat. I also appreciated how there is no typical documentary narration or voice of god taking over your own opinions. For the most part the doc gives us facts and real life scenarios without making us feel one way or the other.
The thing that this documentary touches on a little bit, which I believe to be fact, is that immigration will always be a thing. We can try to do our best to keep everyone out but it's always going to be there. I don't have any problem with people helping other people get across, or at least keep them alive. Nor do I have any problem with people protesting immigration or at least stating their opinion. As long as they are not directly hurting them. So Crossing Arizona is an example of a well made documentary that played the topic coy about what exactly they wanted to show but it was successful in giving a thought provoking doc about immigration.
+Gives both sides
+Understanding both sides
-Could have gone more in depth with the issues
7.2/10