Red State (2011)

Directed by: Kevin Smith | 89 minutes | action, horror, thriller | Actors: Michael Angarano, Deborah Aquila, Nicholas Braun, Ronnie Connell, Kaylee DeFer, Joey Figueroa, Kyle Gallner, Anna Gunn, Matt L. Jones, John Lacy, Catherine McCord, Alexa Nikolas, Stephen Root, Cooper Thornton, Betty Aberlin, Kerry Bishé, Ralph Garman, Melissa Leo, Molly Livingston, James Parks, Michael Parks, Haley Ramm

Indie film director Kevin Smith goes wild again and that results in an unbalanced and controversial film in ‘Red State’, which is an indictment of both religious fanaticism and the American government’s counterterrorism. Smith manages to put his finger on the sore spot, but by continuing to press on that same point, his film makes a less powerful statement than he no doubt intended. It is his most cynical, bitter and wry film to date, which was received with mixed feelings by the film world.

‘Red State’ opens with teenager Travis (Michael Angarano) who is taken to school by his mother and on the way sees a group of people demonstrating at the funeral of a murdered gay boy. The protesters are from the extremist Five Point Church nearby, led by the Reverend Abin Cooper (Michael Parks). Cooper lectures about the depravity of homosexuals, the federal government that does nothing about it and the sexualization of society. His followers consist of his children and his grandchildren, but their small numbers do not prevent them from taking violent actions.

Travis follows the news about the Five Point Church, but is mainly interested in sex. With his friends Jarod (KyleGallner) and Billy Ray (Nicholas Braun), he plans to meet a woman who offers herself over the Internet for sex, all three of them at the same time. The horny trio goes to the mobile home of the woman, Sara (Melissa Leo). However, it turns out that it is a trap set by Reverend Cooper’s cult members and they are kidnapped to the gated farm where Five Point Church is located. Meanwhile, Sheriff Wynan (Stephen Root) — who has a gay affair of his own to hide — has sent his sheriff’s deputy after the boys graze Wynan’s parked car. Things spiral out of control and Agent Joseph Keenan (John Goodman) of the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms) is ordered to surround and storm the farm. However, the Cooper family is prepared for that and have a whole arsenal of weapons ready.

Kevin Smith initially described ‘Red State’ as a horror film, but it has more of an action thriller feel than unadulterated horror, as the genre is usually defined. Smith then indicated that the “horror” is mainly in the behavior of both the cult and the federal agents – and while he does have a point, the designation “horror” raises different expectations.

This does not alter the fact that the events are often horrific. Smith takes the time – in a running time of just under ninety minutes – to show the inhumanity and stupidity of the characters’ actions. His message seems to be that the cult is acting irrationally because of their beliefs and that the government, which is supposed to represent rationality and the law, is in fact just as easily violating the rights of citizens, when they should be protecting them. It’s an uncompromising stance and any actions that some characters could classify as “good” have a nasty and fatal outcome. Fragments of Smith’s characteristic ironic humor are recognizable in this, but here it is inky and inky black.

The cast consists of a number of seasoned character actors, who show good acting, with Parks leading the way as the maniacal Abin Cooper. He knows how to portray the charisma and religious madness with a sonorous voice, so that his thunderous speeches come across as frighteningly realistic. Melissa Leo – who won an Oscar the same year for ‘The Fighter’ – puts her role as Sara, Abin’s daughter, a bit bold, but that also fits the function of her character. Trustworthy as ever as Agent Keenan, Goodman finds himself dragged into a relentless power play and escalating orgy of violence while trying to preserve his sanity. The boys who play the three teenagers also know how to convey their fear and uncertainty about their capture.

Despite the good acting, Smith delivers an unbalanced film with ‘Red State’. The plot is compact and functional, but many questions remain unanswered – apart from a deliberate vagueness about the fate of some supporting actors. For example, too much is being asked of the viewer to blindly accept the actions of the federal agents of the Bureau ATF. Smith here combines “thick wood is sawn into planks” with “long strokes, home quickly” and that is not a happy mix. The almost endless, but often wildly funny dialogues that Smith is known for, are barely present in ‘Red State’. There is still plenty of talk, but not with cheerful pop culture references, witty asides and Star Wars references. It is hell and damnation and no one seems to have a clear conscience and an immaculate soul.

The title refers to the so-called “red states”, states that go to the Republicans in elections (the Democratic states are “blue states”) and is a broader symbol for “America’s Heartland”, which – depending on your political opinion – are the states. where the traditional values ​​are still upheld / that are narrow-minded, in contrast to the more progressive / morally decayed states like California and New York.

It is clear where Smith’s sympathies lie, although he does indicate, through Travis’s teacher, that Republicans also want nothing to do with the Five Point Church and that even the neo-Nazis want nothing to do with them. It is not a half-hearted disclaimer and yet Smith does not quite convincingly connect his ideas and his elaboration.

‘Red State’ is effective, sure, with a linear plot without too many frills, that moves towards an inevitable climax, with one unexpected – and again left with black humor – plot twist, which gives the last fifteen minutes a different twist than you would expect. Then a bloodbath has already taken place and characters have been casually shot that you hoped would make it to the end of the film.