The Gates

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2:07

The Gates

R

Mar 2026

1h 38m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

50%

Tomatometer

22 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

The Gates follows three college students -- Derek, Kevin, and Tyon (Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, and Keith Powers) on a road trip gone wrong, as the three young men take an ill-advised shortcut through a remote gated community, where they find themselves trapped behind the walls after witnessing a murder. Over the course of the night, they find themselves blamed, hunted, and fractured by their own differing belief systems, while the perpetrator--James Van Der Beek, at his most charming and terrifying--emerges as the cunning patriarch that holds the entire community under his influence.

Peter Travers

The Travers Take

Mar 14

2.5/4

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.

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William Bibbiani

TheWrap

Mar 13

'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.

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Bob Strauss

San Francisco Chronicle

Mar 13

2.5/4

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

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Nicholas Bell

Fish Jelly Films (YouTube)

4d

2.5/5

Too many odd and sometimes jarring choices tend to mar an otherwise tense and unfortunately pertinent thriller concerning the realities of bigotry and religious charlatans.

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Carla Hay

Culture Mix

Mar 23

As a crime thriller, The Gates falls short of its potential because it takes a detour into some laughably bad plot developments. This unrealistic movie also mishandles its intent to have socially conscious messaging about racism and classism.

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George and Josh Bate

ScreenAnarchy

Mar 21

4/5

By couching relevant, albeit heavy-handed, racial commentary in a tense and contained thriller, The Gates operates effectively both as a cinematic thrill-ride and thought-provoking endeavor.

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sebastian andres O

@Yoamoalcine 21h

An interesting film worth checking out. It features striking sequences and isn't afraid to get straight to the point about what it wants you to think about. It won't be the best film of the year, but it's one of those pleasant surprises that cinema occasionally offers. A good way to pass the time, with thought-provoking reflections and a positive ending.

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Akiesha A.

@RT24899456 1d

I’m honestly still processing this one. I'm usually not a fan of thrillers, but The Gates was perfectly executed: casting, script, pacing, everything! I loved how this is the kind of film that doesn’t rely on loud twists but instead builds tension through subtle, unsettling moments that keep messing with your head. The “wait…what?” kind of realizations hit throughout, not just at the end, and that kept me in my toes the ENTIRE film! What really stood out was how it quietly exposed the underbelly of classism, racism, religion, and power in a way that felt real, not forced. So many moments in this film felt both uncomfortable, but necessary. And the frienemy dynamic? Incredible! They were perfect foils, and their evolution felt earned and human. TLDR; this kept me on edge the entire time and has stayed with me after! Definitely a must MUST-SEE!

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Angelo P.

@Darksev92 2d

James Vander Beek’s last film performance is a good time in this intense crime thriller that involves racial profiling, murder and religion. Mason Gooding also puts on a good performance as the film’s main lead. I recommend this one a watch.

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Caden C

@jokermancaden 2d

Great movie, love an action thriller packed movie!

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Nathan T

@RT52810398 6d

Loved this film! Had us on the edge of our seats and definitely worth a rewatch.

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Anthony T

@RT75015738 Apr 15

This movie made 3 black men seem clueless. What was the reason for not going to the car, and leaving? They seemed to want that night their last night alive. By not telling people exactly what you saw, immediately, is something ignorant to me. This made me curse at the tv. I love watching good movies, this one was just to pass time, I guess. This is one that I couldn't enjoy. With everyone helping a killer, because he's a pastor is wild to me. This is my first time publicly criticizing a bad movie, and It may not be my last. It gets a 0.5 of 5 stars. Im rating this halfway through the movie. Hope it gets better!

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John Burr

Director

Mason Gooding

Derek

Algee Smith

Kevin

Keith Powers

Tyon

Jack Snyder

Thad

Sofia Hublitz

Roxy

The Gates: Trailer 1

2:07

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Synopsis

The Gates follows three college students -- Derek, Kevin, and Tyon (Mason Gooding, Algee Smith, and Keith Powers) on a road trip gone wrong, as the three young men take an ill-advised shortcut through a remote gated community, where they find themselves trapped behind the walls after witnessing a murder. Over the course of the night, they find themselves blamed, hunted, and fractured by their own differing belief systems, while the perpetrator--James Van Der Beek, at his most charming and terrifying--emerges as the cunning patriarch that holds the entire community under his influence.

Director: John Burr
Producer: Nancy Leopardi, Ross Kohn, Gary Glushon
Screenwriter: John Burr
Distributor: Lionsgate
Production Co: Indy Entertainment, Core 4 Films
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 13, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 38m

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