A Movie with a "State"-ment

When you hear the name Kevin Smith, the first words that come to your mind are “Jay” and “Silent Bob.” The man has been involved with his View Askewniverse for so long we just take for granted that every movie he makes is destined to be a slacker comedy. This assumption is completely shattered by his 2011 film Red State. With Red State, starring Michael Parks, John Goodman, and Melissa Leo, Kevin Smith successfully blends elements of horror and action to propel a story that criticizes extremism in any form.

The movie starts with three teens driving to meet an older woman they found on a sex site- but when they get to her trailer, they are in for a big shock. The boys' would-be paramour is actually a member of the Five Points Trinity Church, a local fundamentalist group known for its extreme actions like protesting the funerals of gays. The teens are drugged and taken to the church's compound, where they are held at the mercy of the entire machine gun wielding group and its preacher, Abin Cooper. Unbeknownst to Cooper and his victims, the actions that both groups commit set off a much larger chain of events, culminating in an explosive showdown with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

Teens Travis and Billy Ray, held captive by the church.

Let me set one thing straight: Red State is not your typical Saw-style torture fest. This movie is completely unpredictable- nobody is safe from death and about halfway through it a series of twists and turns transforms it into more of an action movie. In an age where most horror film feels more like "torture porn," I find this change of pace very refreshing.    
This change of pace also flows very well with the bigger themes this movie explores, which are clearly rooted in current events. The Five Points Trinity Church is like an even more extreme version of the Westboro Baptist Church, and later on in the movie we see a different type of extremism with the ATF. I don't want to say much more about it for fear of spoilers, but the orders given to the ATF team bring to mind some of the controversies surrounding the War on Terror.

Abin Cooper and his rabid flock.

Red State also pays very close attention to detail. Seemingly inconsequential events, such as a non-violent sideswipe with a gay couple's car, go on to spark even bigger fires. This kind of payoff feels very satisfying, and kept me on my toes throughout the whole movie.

Another satisfying aspect of the movie is the acting. Michael Parks' ever righteous demeanor as Abin Cooper brings a chilling presence to the movie, particularly when he orders the execution of a gay man in the name of God. Meanwhile, John Goodman's portrayal as ATF Agent John Keenan feels completely invested with both authority and complexity as he openly questions the orders given to him by his superiors.

Agent Keenan takes aim at a church member.

That being said, the movie doesn't go without its flaws. In some of the more intense scenes, the camera gets a little too shaky and blurry for comfort. Instead of giving it a stylistic feel, this camera work comes off a little amateurish, and takes us out of the moment.  

Red State also tends to get a little too in depth with dialogue. There is one scene in the movie when Abin Cooper gives a sermon that goes on for nearly 12 minutes. I understand that we are supposed to see this guy as an overly obsessive religious freak, but seeing someone just go on for that long takes a heavy toll on our attention span.  

Overall, Red State is an incredible movie. Filled with intense action and psychological horror, this movie is a statement not only of the dangers of Christian fundamentalism and the failures of the War on Terror, but also of Kevin Smith's previously untapped potential as a filmmaker. My verdict is an 8 out of 10.