The story of Anonymous server host, hacker National Gard Vet and suffer from depression Matthew DeHart is told in Sona Kennebeck's Enemies of the State. The key event is a 2010 raid of the DeHart Indiana family home where the FBI took Matts computer claiming that they were looking for evidence of child pornography. In Matt's version the FBI were looking for files relating to his darknet server that he had shut down. The files contain material that would expose the C.I.A. as acting on U.S. soil authors of a homegrown terrorist attack. After the event Matt fled to Mexico. When he was able to return to the family home he ended up studying in Montreal. The conditions of his residency meant he had to renter the U.S. then go back to restart the clock. Upon entering the United States Matt was arrested for the outstanding charge of two counts of child poronography in Tennesse and spent the next two years in prison. DeHart claims he was tortured, interrogated after being injected with the hallucinogenic drug Thorazine left in a cell with no clothing or furniture, and subject to sleep deprivation. Upon his release and return home his parents Paul and Leann who were also military veterans and both at one point had security clearance decided to flee with their son to Canada in April 2013 to seek asylum.
Director Sona Kennebeck explores the two competing narratives.The FBI pursuing, tormenting and harassing Matt and his family all retired veterans with his father Paul having worked for the N.S.A. Paul and Leann are deeply involved in Matt's life possibly a level too much as the film explores. The other told by the judge and investigating FBI officer the case supporting the child poronograpy charges. Two boys had come forward that met Matt online claiming that he came to Tennessee to meet them and was in possession of compromising videos.
The film uses a heavy dose of reenactments that is a trademark of Errol Morris who serves as producer for the production. Matts interrogation after his arrest at the border, A bird's eye view of the conditions in that first prison cell, and the asylum hearing in Toronto all get the treatment. Given the current sentiment to be at least wary if not full out distrusting government agencies Matt's story although extraordinary could be believed. Attempting to smear a perceived threat personally with a disturbing sexual narrative is a long-standing tool in the F.B.I's playbook. It's not until late evidence comes to light into the closing stanza of the film does the balance of probabilities tilt to one side over the other.
Enemies of the State is the story of a hacktivist with connections to Anonymous, Wikileaks, and the Dark Web who went on the run after an interaction with the FBI. DeHart sought to defect to Russia and Venezuela then eventually sought asylum in Canada over a described data dump on his server that had National Security Implications. Matt DeHart was doing something on his computer that attracted the attention of the government. The proof presented for one argument .vs the lack thereof of the other and Matt's ultimate actions will lead the viewer to one likely conclusion.
*** 1/2 Out of Four.
Enemies of the State | Sonia Kennebeck | U.S.A. | 2020 | 103 Minutes.
Tags; Dark Web, Internet Server, F.B.I Raid, C.I.A Coverup, Cyber-Crime Arrest, Torture, Thorazine, Child Poronograpy, Indiana, Tennessee, Prison, Asylum, Anonymous, Wikileaks, Hacktivist.
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