Kevin Smith, I applaud you!!
Red State (2011)
Directed By: Kevin Smith (Clerks)
The Prologue
Kevin Smith was one of my favorite directors when I was a kid, or should I say, in my teen years. I loved Clerks, I loved Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and I even liked Chasing Amy. As I matured, while I still liked his films, I wasn’t as crazy about them. All the poop jokes, and perverted dialogue just didn’t seem as cool. And while I did like Clerks 2, stuff like Jersey Girl did nothing for me and I found Zack and Miri funny but not memorable. We won’t even get started on, Cop Out. It was in this time that word broke of a horror film from Smith, that horror film would be, Red State. A film that is loaded with Smith’s prints all over it, but at the same time comes across as a much more smart and mature film than his other work. It’s a film that many have called his best work since, Clerks. Time will of course tells when it comes to that, but I gotta admit, it IS really really good.
The Movie
Set in Middle America, a group of teens receive an online invitation for sex, and as a result they set forth to go and do the deed (if you know what I mean). But, as luck would have it they soon encounter fundamentalists with a much more sinister agenda. But the terror doesn’t just stop there, the government comes into play and soon enough we have a firefight that risks the chance of nobody being left standing once it’s over. In this film from Kevin Smith, we see a more mature style of film making from the man many of you know as the guy who makes films full of “dick and fart” jokes. While not filled with likeable characters, Red State is stacked to the brim with compelling storytelling and even some humor, which Smith films are known for.
First and foremost I just got to say it, Michael F’N Parks! This man in the role of our overly religious, gay-hating preacher, Abin Cooper, steals this movie. From the firs time he pops on the screen, until we last see him, he makes this his movie and if you have no other reason what so ever to see this film, seeing this man in action should be it. He’s always been a great actor, but he takes it up a level here. On top of that, the acting here is great all around. It’s not your usual cast you’d see in a Kevin Smith film and I think that for this to really work like it does, that had to be case. On top of Parks, we get a grade A performance from John Goodman as well. While things in the film do get shaky and chaotic at random times, the acting is always strong.
Also, unlike a lot of Smith films, the dialogue works as some smart social commentary. While you do get some sexual stuff (or a lot of it at different times), this film also adds in some stuff that is ranty but very clever. This film isn’t telling us that all religious people are crazy like soo many other films do. The film makes it clear that while many people take their beliefs waaay to far, this particular group is representing themselves and not people with faith as a whole. That was a breath of fresh air in my opinion. But at the same time the horror of the film comes into play more when you realize that the world is full of people who share the same views on a number of issues (mostly homosexuals) as the crazy people in this film do. And who knows when something as twisted as what takes place in this movie might really happen..I think it already has in some areas. It’s chilling stuff, but there is also enough random comedy moments tossed in to keep it on balance and to make sure it’s not totally dark and depressing.
The story is strong, the film moves at a great pace, and while the characters aren’t the most likeable people (most are far from it), you do have them written so well that it all holds your attention and makes the time of film seemingly fly by. I also found the ending to be very fitting and hilarious (in a very good way). While perhaps some will compare the ending to a Coen Brothers ending, I think it’s the best way to go here, if for no other reason than it’s not “left field” crazy but it’s still not at all what you’d expect. In the end we are greeted with Red State being a shockingly good film that will catch the less jaded film goers by surprise. If you blindly hate Kevin Smith, they simply won’t be no pleasing you, but anyone with an open mind could find their minds blown by the time the film wraps and the credits roll.
The Conclusion
Some people I know have already said this is the best film Kevin Smith has made since Clerks. I may be inclined to say, it’s his best film EVER. Mixing the wit of Smith with some more clever dialogue inside the confines of a horror film turns out to be a very good mix. And I honestly believe the results are a film that should crack more than a few top 10 lists for 2011. Red State is a very well written piece of work from Kevin Smith. And I hope it’s a sign of what’s yet to come from him.
The Rating (8/10)
