Review of Red State (2011) by Roadwarrior — 20 Dec 2011

Is this really a Kevin Smith film? The stylized dialogue is most certainly his but the relentless seriousness is a brand new feather in his cap. A Tarantino-esque thrill ride fraught with moralistic angst in this plausible plot of the battle of good verses evil becoming evil verses good. Christian fundamentalist executioners in a range war with a "take no prisoners" government agency is the theme that is subtly underpinned by memorable characters for their very human characteristics. Raw yet believable acting abounds in this freakish "what if" storyline. Anything but fantasy it will have your nerve ends jangling at the harsh reality on offer, there are next to no excuses on offer for the in-your-face subject matter and the way it is presented.

As hinted at, Smith has taken a massive step away from his tongue in cheek, humour driven main body of work and given us reason to believe that his talent pool is far deeper than suspected, and via Red State we get a precursor to that certain unforgettable masterpiece that will undoubtedly set him firmly on the plateau of great writer/directors.