One of my all time favorites.

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Beautiful, moving film.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

From the time the film started, the lies and layers of complicity unfolded. It broke my heart to watch a very personal account of grave injustice. Not only has there been incessant harassment, the sheer overkill and resources used to incriminate Julia Davis were grossly inappropriate. The government will stoop to the lowest depths of depravity in an effort to hide their lies. Lies that are painfully obvious, yet apparently what they were trying to hide came with a steep price. Unnecessary deaths, tragic brutality - for no just cause. I have been deeply moved by this film. It would be my hope that Americans will see the exact nature of what is going on in the states at the hand of their government, and prepare accordingly.

TOP PRIORITY: THE TERROR WITHINReviewed by Michael SmithDocumentary Directed by: Asif Akbar Not Rated Running time: 1 hour 35 mins Fleur De Lis Film StudiosWow!Knowing I had just seen his new documentary, "Top Priority: The Terror Within," producer BJ Davis asked me what I had thought of the film. I summed my review up in one word.Much has been made of the state of the world since the horror of September 11, 2001. As citizens we've been told to keep our eyes open…to report anything we may think is suspicious. But what if you worked for the U.S. Government's Department of Homeland Security and you discovered that no less than 23 "Special Interest Aliens" (read: persons from such countries as Iraq, Libya, Indonesia and others) just walked across the Mexican border into the United States. You'd notify your superiors, right? Apparently not if you want to keep your job.The central figure in this film is Julia Davis. Born in Kiev, Russia she met and fell in love with American filmmaker BJ Davis while he was making a movie in her country. Emigrating to the USA and armed with Masters Degrees in Aviation and Spacecraft Engineering, she soon found herself working for the Department of Homeland Security as a Customs and Border Patrol Officer. So strong was her knowledge of, and commitment to, the job that she would often appear on national news programs as an anti-terrorist expert to field questions. In an average month, approximately 10-15 "Special Interest Aliens" would be given authorization to enter the USA, usually after a lengthy question and answer session with a DHS agent. While checking her daily work Davis discovered that, in a 10 hour period on July 4, 2004, 23 "Special Interested Aliens" entered the US without so much as one question by anyone in authority. When Davis reported this horrific breach of security all hell broke loose. On her.It's often hard to judge a politically themed documentary. Sometimes, as in the case of some of Michael Moore's work, the information given is slanted. I'm not saying it's wrong…I'm just saying that sometimes you don't see all that is to be seen. That is not the case here. Pressing on with her complaint, Davis soon finds herself the target of harassment at work as well as having to deal with fifty-four fraudulent charges leveled at her. Each one of these charges is proved false thanks to an unprecedented glimpse at government video depositions as well as video surveillance tapes. In one instance, Ms. Davis reports that her superior, Linda Boutwell (who Ms. Davis' attorney humorously refers to as "Miss BUTT-well" when he discusses her) picked up her personal backpack and threw it to the floor so forcefully that the cell phone inside was broken. Boutwell submits a sworn statement claiming to have never touched Ms. Davis' backpack. When government investigators are confronted by video surveillance tape that shows Boutwell doing exactly what she is charged with, they inexplicably side with her. The case gets even more involving when Boutwell tells her superiors that Davis, while at work for the Department of Homeland Security, is secretly helping her husband and his crew make a local film. According to Boutwell she is told this information by actress Brittany Murphy. When the Davis' inquire as to why these charges were made, Murphy informs them that, though she is friends with Boutwell's daughter, she never made those statements. What follows for the next 18 months is an all out assault on the very freedoms Ms. Davis swore to protect. She is followed by helicopters…her house is illegally searched…the government tries to have her deported, calling her marriage to BJ a sham. They even arrange to have local police pull the Davis' over at pre-scheduled times to prevent them from arriving at court hearings and depositions on time.Surprising to hear? It was to me. But every accusation is backed up with proof! There is no gray area here. It's all there in the black and white video footage as well as the notes and documents the Davis' were able to track down. And they weren't the only people under surveillance. In an interview shortly before she died at the age of 30, Brittany Murphy told the writer she knew she being watched. In fact, it was much worse. Murphy endured helicopter surveillance, wiretaps, an arrest in the middle of the night and an unsuccessful attempt to deport her fiancée Simon Monjack, whom she later married. That shortly after her statement both Murphy and Monjack suddenly died only makes the case more bizarre!There are more twists and turns to this film then all of the rides at Disneyland. "Top Priority: The Terror Within" is a film that will make you think and, hopefully, say "Wow!"On a scale of zero to five I give "Top Priority: The Terror Within" *****

I had the honor of attending the premiere of Top Priority - the story of Julia Davis and her husband BJ Davis endure the full wrath of the federal government - simply because Julia did her job. Most folks who have not been a whistleblower or had to deal with government wrongdoing have a hard time accepting the concept of U.S. government wrongdoing against its own citizens - but it happened here in a severe case. Julia was targeted by the senior leadership of Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) simply for following official procedures given her by her leadership and notifying the DC Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) of a breach of security at our southwest border...for this act she was persecuted - she and her husband BJ charged with false felony charges - endured a raid on their residence which resulted in the death of Julia's father - and because of the government's desperation, federal officers likely had a role in the death of BJ and Julia's friend - Brittney Murphy...Until it happens to you (and I'm speaking from experience here - I've been thru the grinder of the Federal Government machine) it is hard to believe officers who take the Oath of Office can behave in illegal and unconstitutional ways - but they do - and this documentary exposes their illegal acts - often in their own words...I honestly wonder how they sleep at night...I HIGHLY recommend you see Top Priority when it hit general or limited release - it is not only shocking due to the facts, it is a well made movie that grabs the viewer (and - no - I am NOT just saying this because BJ and Julia are friends) - this is an outstanding movie - one that exceeds every other modern documentary I've seen...and indicates that we are only steps away from "Three Days of the Condor" - if they can do this to the Davis' there is nothing holding back these government officials, with the new federal authorities, to engage in the next step of such wrongdoing: targeting for death of citizens they deem 'dangerous'.One last note - we should all be grateful for Julia and BJ - for having had the courage to endure the painful turn of events where the government of our nation not only turned its back on them - it did everything it could to destroy them - and still, they have been able to tell their story - to expose the wrongdoing of the federal bureaucratic for what it is...they are true patriots, and I am proud to call them friends.

BY: Alan Premel, the Clandestine Comic I had the pleasure to review the documentary 'Top Priority, the Terror Within' last Wednesday at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, home of the Academy Awards (Oscars). The retaliatory undertones ring loud and clear in Top Priority - Silence, Discredit and Destroy. After watching this well written and equally well directed docu-drama you will agree that no one understands the misfortune of being silenced, discredited and destroyed as well as Julia Davis.Directed by rising star Asif Akbar, Top Priority reserves no punches as it bravely tells the unbelievable real-life story of National Security Whistleblower Julia Davis who once served our country as a Customs and Border Patrol agent under the guise of the Department of Homeland Security. Davis' reward for drawing attention and shedding light on a real-life breach of national security was to be arrested, discredited and branded a domestic terrorist by DHS.They say real life is stranger than fiction and if that mantra holds true than you will be left saying "You cannot make this stuff up", as what seems so wildly unbelievable, far-fetched and exaggerated is shown and proved to be a reality. The amount of government wrongdoing, oppression and discrediting will leave you shocked and dismayed. Such brutal law enforcement tactics and retaliation would have been expected from a 1930's pre-FBI and Prohibition era law enforcement and not the system of checks and balances and oversight we have 2012. There is no shortage of intrigue in Top Priority, when the plot thickens a young Hollywood star is dead, Julia Davis is the target of 56 unlawful investigations and there are more suspicious and untimely deaths. By the time you would imagine the story is ending the mafia gets involved and the story, again, bravely charges on. At every twist and turn during the feature you will find yourself shaking your head in dismay at the overwhelming evidence presented by first hand audio and video interviews.The highlight comes when government officials lie on tape about actions, orders and their knowledge of wrongdoing presented and exposed. At this turning point, the audience, now in Julia Davis' corner all collectively jeered and laughed as official government documents are shown side by side blatantly showing false testimony. It's shock and awe at its best and it gives an outsider a glimpse into how lethal the case was. Director Asif Akbar and legendary Hollywood stuntman BJ Davis, husband of Julia Davis, were both masterful in the presentation and execution of this highly controversial case. Top Priority is a blitzkrieg of truth and vindication that continuously pummels and humiliates the DHS for 95 minutes.As the screen fades to black, the pants of DHS are squarely around their ankles. The Davis' leaving them in a compromising position with zero wiggle room to defend themselves. Just as the ending credits start to roll my friend on my left says "Oh my God!" and my cousin on my right exclaims, "Wow!" This was followed by an eruption of thunderous applause and a standing ovation. Top Priority accomplishes what every movie strives to do by stirring the emotions of each viewer. You leave Top Priority with an overwhelming and profound sense of emotion that is hard to explain. On one side of the token you feel the fear of the actions which were inflicted on someone in real life. While on the other side, you have a deep sense of sadness for those who died suddenly and unexpectedly from the governments mishandling of the case.In the end, you are presented with the saddest fact of all. Throughout everything Julia was subjected to, an arrest warrant was never issued for Julia. The laundry list of crimes and violations presented were not done by a whistleblower but were done at the hands of a government agency whose sole purpose is to protect each and every one of us.Top Priority was the first documentary ever allowed to premiere at the academy for its opening debut and it is fitting because if the ballots went out today, Top Priority would be bringing home an Oscar for Best Documentary. My only real advice for watching 'Top Priority, the Terror Within' is to bring a pillow because your back will hurt from sitting at the edge of your seat! I give 'Top Priority, the Terror Within' 9.5 out of 10 popcorns.