An intensely felt but jumbled and poorly reasoned cinematic treatise against governmental bureaucracy run amok and specifically a series of Constitutional rights abuses by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, documentary Top Priority: The Terror Within tells the story of Julia Davis, a whistleblower who found herself on the receiving end of a years-long campaign of vindictive persecution. A tangled mess of sprawling and sometimes vague allegations never wrestled into any sort of coherent and compelling shape, the movie chronicles a shocking story, but one that seems better suited to the television news magazine format, or at least a more polished, experienced nonfiction hand.

In addition to desperately needing an editorial trim, a fog of unclear charges, motivations and facts hangs over Top Priority. Owing to the fact that actress Brittany Murphy was at one point dragged into a hearsay allegation related to Davis’ initial professional investigation, the film (sort of) posits that she and late husband Simon Monjack were also targets of some sinister governmental payback, which seems tenuous at best. Some outside perspsective on this story is sorely needed; the Davis’ both serve as producers here, on their own tale, and their (understandable) dander, combined with director Asif Akbar’s hackish instincts, overwhelms the movie. At least Stephen Colbert would be proud, though, since more than truth, an aura of “truthiness” surrounds this messy offering. For the full, original review, from ShockYa, click here. (Fleur De Lis Films, unrated, 115 minutes)