Review of Red State (2011) by Ilhm — 10 Mar 2013

Three teens become the unsuspecting hostages of an extremist religious cult after accepting an online invitation for sex in the explosive thriller, RED STATE. Kevin Smith moves away from comedy in a daring and frighteningly realistic social commentary that serves as a vehement strike against the current domestic policy in America.

With the events following 9/11 and the Westboro Baptist Church fresh in mind, Smith not only attacks the fanaticism of mindless religious zealots, but also the media's role in perpetuating their actions and our government's questionable response to domestic terrorism that is taken under martial law.

Michael Parks plays the part of the Reverend Abin Cooper with all of the charm and charisma of a narcissistic psychopath and cult leader, making it easy to see how his simpleminded followers could easily be drawn to violence "in the name of the Lord.

" John Goodman is in fine form as well as Joseph Keenan, the leader of the military task force that descends upon Cooper's secluded farmhouse. He stands as the voice of reason against an uncaring government bureaucracy that is only concerned with eliminating the social threat with no care towards collateral damage.

The rough filming and raw violence create a sense of ultra-realism on screen, while Smith's cynical sense of humor comes through brilliantly in the script (particularly in Keenan's final debriefing). RED STATE is a thought-provoking thriller, to say the least, and a refreshingly original entry in the genre.