Red State (2011)
Certified: 18
Duration: 88 minutes
Directed by: Kevin Smith
Starring: Michael Parks, John Goodman, Melissa Leo, Ralph Garman, Kerry Bishe, Haley Ramm, Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, Nicholas Braum, Stephen Root
KRS release
Kevin Smith’s films have always had a certain “fanboy” attitude about them.
This is evident from his uneven but verylikable films such as Clerks, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob, Strike Back and Zack and Miri Make a Porno.
Red State is a total departure for the director. As usual Mr Smith inserts a variety of themes but this time he mixes genres and ideas.
Resembling Hostel in theme in one particular instance, the political messages soon shift into gear along with the thriller and black comedy elements that the director always presents with the rest of the baggage.
Add to this the film’s grind house factor, the fact that it was made on a B-movie budget, and Mr Smith is really flaunting it.
Red State is set in middle America, in a background town, where we meet Abin Cooper (Michael Parks), a preacher who is slightly mad.
He strikes the wrong notes with the community as his group organises rallies and protests at funerals of gay hate crime victims.
This situation cannot go on forever. Cooper’s congregation has become so extreme that even well known neo-Nazi groups avoid associating with them.
Cooper has taken it upon to himself to rid the area of gays and brings in individuals who are believed to be homosexuals and strings them to a cross.
Accompanied by his violent helper Sara (Melissa Leo) Cooper’s flock is one bloodthirsty group.
Travis (Michael Angarano), Jarod (Kyle Gallner) and Billiy-Ray (Nicholas Braun) are three teenagers who are hungry for sex. The three are off to the woods to meet with a girl they connected with on the net.
On the way they meet the sheriff (Stephen Root). The problem is they find him in an awkward situation and discover his secret.
The sheriff is determined that they will not spill the beans but at the same time the teens get caught in Cooper’s net.
From that moment on, the characters will descend from one rung of hell to another.
Fans of Mr Smith’s work will realise that the director is delving into new ground. This alone already had me hooked as the film’s surprise factor was heightened and nothing was a given – there was no element of predictability.
Mr Smith takes on quite a number of issues including cults, religious fanaticism, modern fascism and more. He does not manage to deliver his message on all issues but the mix is quite a heady one and makes for a very different cinema-going experience.
The film is also influenced by the 1993 Waco siege tragedy in Texas where about 80 people, including four FBI agents, died in a siege that lasted 50 days as the FBI battled with the Branch Davidian sect.
Mr Smith’s film is compressed into less than 90 minutes when he has enough material to go on for longer. He seems to be taking a “no man’s land” stand as he is sniping the government on the way it deals with situations yet he is also condemning the zealot religious extremism in a visceral manner.
Mr Smith is intent on delivering a variety of viewpoints ensconced in a thriller package. One can simply view the film as a hostage drama unlike others seen on the screen, as it comes packed with a rebel element.
The film comes stacked with a variety of interesting performances, the highlight of which must be John Goodman’s. He plays hostage negotiator Joseph Keenan, bringing a very troubled personality to screen, one filled with inner turmoil. His act is balanced out by Michael Parks’s role as Abin, the cult leader whose character brings a huge element of uncertainty to the picture.
Red State is aimed at the discerning viewer. It’s for those who like to see passion in a film; for those wanting their films accompanied with a quota of unpredictability; and for those wanting to see this erratic but genial director take fledgling steps in a new direction.