Red State (V)
| release date | October 19 2011 |
| studio | Smodcast Pictures Banner |
| director | Kevin Smith |
| writer | Kevin Smith |
| starring | Kyle Gallner, Melissa Leo, Dermot Mulroney, Michael Angarano, Steven Root, Michael Parks, John Goodman |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
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I like it when long-time (or somewhat long-time) filmmakers attempt to do something different after making a solid number of successful films set within one or two genres. It’s interesting to see just how well these people do outside of their comfort zone; and such attempts are almost always being made. Still, it comes as a genuine surprise that cult favorite Kevin Smith would be the next person to decide that he wants to make something completely different, and go with it. His newest film is “Red State”; a film which he initially described as “horror”, but if I may say so myself, I don’t think it quite falls within that genre. Still, it’s a departure from Smith’s signature “un-style”; with more visual insanity and thematic tweaks than all the writer-director’s films combined. It ends up an intriguing picture, but as one of my personal most anticipated films of 2011, it’s a bit of a disappointment.
But what did I expect? Smith has changed as both a director and even as a person over the years; his last movie was the horrendous and stupid “Cop Out”, which was the first film that the director didn’t both write and direct. He’s returned to what he does best; crafting his stories the way he wants to, with the characters he wants and the actors he desires. “Red State” works on a number of levels, but even so, it feels like something is missing. It tackles subjects such as religion – something not new to Smith, as one should know – but Smith himself appears to be preaching the audience “messages” and “morals”. He lacks the ability to actually create what he promised, which was a horror film, and instead it feels like a thriller; but at that, a pretty entertaining one.
The film opens with material also not new to a story told through the eyes of Kevin Smith; three horny teenagers discover the sex equivalent of Craigslist; where they find an older women looking for a nice three-way between the three young men. That very night, they take a trip out to her home, and the woman (Melissa Leo) offers them drinks. While undressing, they mysteriously faint.
The boys (played by Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, and Nicholas Braun) awaken in the church of religious extremist cult; led by Pastor Abin Cooper (Michael Parks). They have been drugged, tied up, locked up, and are just waiting for the latest church session to get through. For some good time, Cooper preaches to his audience, and it becomes clear that his little group of followers, along with him, despise homosexuals immensely. Perhaps that is why we saw Abin earlier on in the film protesting a gay teenager’s funeral, but of course, that was before we knew what he looked like or if he was important whatsoever. He could have just been everyone; and maybe that’s what Smith perceives to be the “horror” bit of his little movie.
The local sheriff (Stephen Root) is called up by Parks – after he suspects that something must be up around those parts – and blackmailed into allowing him and his followers to carry out their evil deeds, although the man is loyal to himself, his family, and his country; thus he calls up an entire back-up force to aid him in confronting the church to see what’s really going on there. Among those fighting alongside him in the battle that is about to ensue is Agent Keenan (John Goodman); a strong-willed federal agent bent on setting the score straight with these psychotic God-loving – and God-fearing – extremists.
Maybe it’s best to just let Smith talk. I say this because when Smith talks, occasionally something really intelligent or insightful comes out of it all, and we walk away enlightened and perhaps even inspired. I was a big fan of “Clerks”, “Dogma”, and “Chasing Amy”; and I have enjoyed various other projects that Smith has been associated with in the past. Would I say I was a fan of “Red State”? No, not quite. The film is far too messy to like, and not all of the pieces seem to fit to make it feel “conclusive”. Still, it’s an engaging and sometimes thought-provoking watch, and even though he doesn’t entirely succeed at making the kind of movie that he wanted to make with this, Smith is able to provide some good thrills and a few very inspired moments. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to watch good ol’ Kevin give the Westborough Baptist Church and its members the finger; which was most certainly his aim. After a few year’s hiatus; it would seem that Smith is back, as a talented and ambitious filmmaker (and storyteller), but only time will tell if he can get back some of the loyal fans who have since abandoned him.
What’s more to say? I was entertained. I walked out mildly satisfied, even if I wanted something more and something far better out of “Red State”. There are certainly some good performances to be found here; Goodman, Leo, and Parks especially are rather good, but most of them aren’t well-used as far as their roles go. Few of the characters here are worth caring about or remembering; which is too bad when Smith unleashes all that bloody, suitably intense carnage. “Red State”, if not a horror film, is still a competent and well-made thriller; but a competent and well-made thriller that still lacks the proper narrative treatment nonetheless. I can’t deny that it uses at least some of its brain, but for all that Smith wants us to feel, it doesn’t quite have the intended effect on its audience.
REALLY Enjoyed this Film! it is now my favourite Smith Film- took me back to when i first saw Bonnie and Clyde and In Cold Blood not as good as those two films but left me with the same impression. one of the few films i watched twice back to back in one day.
First of all, I have to clarify that I’m not a fan or connoisseur of That Kevin Smith.
I’ve seen “Dogma” (pretty good) and “Zack & Miri Make A Porno” (pretty ok), I know Jay & Silent Bob and I’m aware of Smith’s influence on the indie film-making scene in the 90s, though I was never really interested in watching movies like “Clerks” or “Mall Rats”, simply because, um… they just didn’t interest me.
Furthermore. I don’t like Smith as a person. IMO he’s an arrogant and egocentric eccentric, a hubristic pain in the arse. His twitter tirades regarding the airline incident were quite annoying, his comments about the bad “Cop Out” critics hate were superfluous and his recent glorification of marijuana is contemptible.
So, with all that in mind I went into the Festival screening of “Red State” and I surprisingly enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It’s of course far from being as amazing as many Smith-fanboys claim, but… yeah it’s a pretty solid psycho-action-thriller about fundamentalist religion and post-9/11-paranoia.
What I loved:
- The excellent cast – brilliant performances from Michael Parks, John Goodman, Melissa Leo and Stephen Root.
- The really impressive rapture-scene + Goodman’s hilarious fire-truck-siren explanation.
- Many amusing dialogue lines such as
“If you love me, you gonna make me some coffee…”
or “They gonna kill my family.” – “Good!”
What I liked:
- David Klein’s wonderful camera work.
- Kevin Smith’s clever editing.
What I disliked:
- The movie is a bit of an annoying mess that just can’t decide between action-thriller, Christian torture-porn and weird comedy.
- The pacing is weak and a few scenes are just plain boring.
What I hated:
- Why in god’s name was this marketed as a horror movie? This clearly has nearly nothing to do with horror *grrr*
So overall, a flawed but still pretty good thriller. Kevin-Smith-fans will love it. Non-Kevin-Smith-fans will either like or hate it. I like it.
6,5/10
http://www.horrormoviediary.net/
OMFG!!!! I just watched this movie and really based on the reviews I did not excpect much, reviews that read “this is a borefest,” ‘how is this classified “horror”‘ made me think “ok, this movie is gonna suck,” but being a Kevin Smith fan I had to at least give it a chance and I am glad I did! This movie is not “boring,” infact I found it very entertaining (although, everytime I saw John Goodman I thought ‘Damn, I’m old!’) I was entertained throughout, the blood and gore, really was not existant, but for those who actually think outside the “norm.” Give it a chance. Imagine a world w/o religion.
I actually really enjoyed this, saw it when it first went ondemand, and more recently it is on Netflix streaming. It wasn’t really what I expected, the advertising had me to believe that it was a horror film, which it was not. I definitely had to get beyond that in order to enjoy it. I would recommend it for sure, just go into it knowing that it is not a horror movie, it is an action movie on all levels.
Red State is horror, but not the typical horror. There is a very real and very deep mental horror lying within. I never enjoyed Kevin Smith’s work, so I didn’t really expect anything here. Red State was really good though. The Reverend is an amazing character and you can truly see how he is turning random events into signs. At one point an air siren sounds and you can see the Reverend with a puzzled look on his face. You see the idea ease into his face and he praises upward saying it is the apocalypse. Then everyone follows. The blind following is the true horror. Great film.
Kevin Smiths’ “Red State” sat in my mental queue for a long time. Copies had leaked on the various inter-webs months ago. Even as Smith was traversing the country charging 50 bucks a pop to view his new horror flick, I just couldn’t bring myself to watch it. As lover of Smiths films, there is something about this entry into his catalog that didn’t feel right. Sure Smith had tried to step outside of his self-created “”View Askewniverse” before, with varying results, but I had been more than willing to take that leap with him and see the positives in films like “Jersey Girl” and (the incomprehensible) “Cop Out.” This just felt different to me. Even after watching it, I sat on my feelings for a week, hoping something about the way I was feeling would change. Unfortunately it didn’t. After waiting seven days, I still can’t escape the fact that there is only one word to describe the film – boring.
read more @
http://betweentwelveandfourteen.blogspot.com/2011/10/red-state-2011.html
It wasn’t terrible and it wasn’t great either. Slow and dry in most parts and a little verbose. Kevin Smith just can’t help himself. I did like the rapture bit.
freaking awesome!!!:)
Thought provoking and compelling until the dire ending. Extremely well acted and well paced. Red State has a grainey and realistic feel to it. Based from the lives of “Americas Most Hated Family” Red State showcases Religious extremism in the most unsettling manner. Not a perfect film by far, but kept your interest until the final frame.
Very thought provoking and skilled at taking you off guard. An interesting study on individual rights, and the nightmarish consequences of their abuse or outright cancellation.
Over all I thought this movie was pretty good. It kept my attention and had some pretty good scenes with a solid plot. Good job Kevin Smith
Red State isn’t your typical horror film. It has much more dialogue and is more character driven. It’s hard to put Red State into a specific genre. The acting is really good throughout the film. Michael Parks acting defines the movie. He really shines. I wouldn’t recommend this to some people. I don’t think Christian people would take to it really well. Overall, I really liked the film. It probably differs from person to person but there’s no harm in giving it a shot.
Kevin Smith is a freakin’ genius. This movie is not a horror movie by way of blood, guts and gore. Rather its a snapshot of what happenes when religious fundamentalism goes too far. Its thought provoking and captivating. The acting is faultless and the pace is explosive. Once again, Kevin Smith has not let me down.
The wacky Waco’s capture of punks and ensuing “service” was an interesting enough setup, but just had no feel for the rest of the shootout and satirical morality play that followed. Instead of biting realism at times some character’s actions cross the line enough to a point of losing touch with them altogether. Mostly uninteresting action and reaction that only results in a messy and unsatisfying movie by the end (save for Goodman–always liked that dude). I dig most all of his library of work, but Smith bombed this one, unfortunately–I’ll take the minority side and say that Red State kinda sucks.
Really wanted to dislike it because of Smith’s Twitter tantrum’s, but ended up enjoying it. It plays out more along the lines of the documentary due to the grounded performances and dialogue. It’s Westboro Baptist Church meets Waco, TX. Not that it’s an excuse for his tantrum, but it’s terrifying to know that this is a watered-down version of what some churchgoers are actually like. More information here:
http://thewolfmancometh.com/2011/12/20/red-state-2011/
Reading the description of this film made me really intrigued. What shitty luck. I mean yes you answer an internet ad for sex (common sense says “how stupid”) and usually you would expect two things: 1. A really ugly psycho girl or 2. A man who has a fetish for boys. But honestly an ultra-fundamentalist group who is out to murder people. Ok kinda brilliant.
This wasn’t really a horror film and that’s ok because what is more horrifying than religious nuts… Nothing! I like John Goodman and I liked the way he portrayed his character and the other actors are very convincing as well. It kinda went “War film” mid way and I’ll be honest here, this is where it almost started to lose my interest. Then like the last 20 min or so actually made me smile and laugh and what made it for me.
Not a bad watch and not an entire waste of time. Wouldn’t really recommend it or watch it again though. Not bad.
For more reviews visit http://www.RockportFilm.com
Every since “Clerks” premiered at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival writer/director Kevin Smith has enjoyed a cult following like no other. His ear for dialogue and endearing true to life characters make his films the voice of the twenty something’s. His characters spout off “Star Wars” references and make childish dick and fart jokes, all while coming off as people you would like to hang out with. Although recently he has had a string of pretty bad movies, “Red State” returns to the controversial territory that followed his 1999 film “Dogma”.
Three high school boys go looking for sex on the internet and find and older women willing to do the deed with them. When they get to her trailer park home, they are drugged and brought into a radical Christian fundamentalist compound. There we meet reverend Abin Copper, played by the remarkable Michael Parks. Abin’s wife Sara (played by Melissa Leo) is the women who got the teens and now they must pay for their sins. The cult like group call themselves the Five Pointers and the authorities are anxious to take them down. It sounds a lot like David Koresh and Branch Dravidians from Waco Texas and their big stand off in the 90′s. Copper spouts off a fiery sermon with a guy shrink wrapped to a cross. He equates gays to devils who should be executed on site. The man strapped to the cross is shot in the head and one of the three teens is up next, but when one of them breaks free and finds the armory full of assault rifles all hell is about to break lose (but not in a literal sense).
When Abin murders a sheriff deputy who gets to close, the ATF and local police encircle the compound and a violent confrontation ensues. Smith deals with such modern issues as gay rights, religious extremists and domestic terrorism. How well he deals with these issues is a little suspect. Smith’s forte over the years has been comedy and “Red State” feature mainly action and drama, but with a dose of dark humor. The gun fights are tense and visceral and something you don’t usually see in his films. John Goodman plays Joseph Keenan and heads the ATF attack on the compound. He has orders to treat the compound members as terrorists under the Patriot Act and to kill ever last one of them. One of the imprisoned teens gets together with Abin’s granddaughter in order to escape with the compounds little children. We then hear a voice from above and things come to a head.
This is not the greatest film in the world even by Kevin Smith standards, but it has more than “Jersey Girl” or “Cop Out” had to offer. The films he made earlier in his career really stand on there own and as he has even said took place in a different time in his life. Kevin also has another Q&A special available on Netflix streaming called “Too Fat for 40″ which is entertaining but extremely T.M.I. “Red State” is also available from Netflix streaming as well so you know check it out.
This isn’t a horror film.This is the best film Smith has made so far.Incredible acting,Thought provoking plot,And a climax that doesn’t let you down.You would never think a comedy director did this film.I hope he journey’s even further into serious film making.Even if you dislike Smith you must watch and judge this yourself.
This movie was a letdown. If you watch Criminal Minds, you’ll feel like you’ve already seen it. It was slow paced, and boring at times. The only reason I give it 2/5 is John Goodman. He does a phenomenal job making this movie worth watching once.