Spoilers! Unpacking James Van Der Beek's shocking last film role

James Van Der Beek goes dark as a creepy, murderous pastor in the final movie of his career, \

Spoiler alert! We're discussing all the twists and turns of "The Gates" (in theaters now), including the ending, so turn away if you haven't seen the film and don't want to know what happens.

James Van Der Beek's final movie role is about as far from Dawson Leery as it gets.

The new thriller "The Gates" features the last film performance by the late "Dawson's Creek" actor, who died Feb. 11 after a colorectal cancer battle. The star plays against type in the movie by taking on the role of the primary antagonist, a creepy, murderous pastor.

The story centers on three friends, Derek (Mason Gooding), Kevin (Algee Smith) and Tyon (Keith Powers), who take a shortcut on their way to a party and wind up locked inside a gated community, where they witness a violent crime. While looking for someone to open the gates back up so they can leave, they walk up to a house and see a man, Jacob (Van Der Beek), seemingly kill a woman, Elizabeth (Elle Evans), during an argument by shoving her into a fireplace.

The boys soon learn they have found themselves inside a religious community that was built by Jacob, an influential and well-liked pastor. While trying to find their way out, they come across a resident named Christopher (Brad Leland) and explain what they witnessed. But as someone who thinks highly of Jacob as a "good, Christian man," Christopher immediately dismisses their claims and rats them out.