In his final film, James Van der Beek raises the bar on a standard-issue thriller through the sheer force of his talent and magnetism.

'The Gates' is constantly on the verge of getting better, sometimes on the verge of getting good, but it never quite gets there. It’s a missed opportunity for thrills, social commentary, humor and/or horror.

“The Gates” benefits from simple, straightforward plotting and understated social commentary that’s as effective as shouted outrage.

...Burr makes the decision to split up the characters. Mason Gooding's Derek spends a significant chunk of the film by himself, so we lose any interactions that he could have had [with his friends]...