Review of Red State (2011) by Christopher T — 12 Mar 2012
Kevin Smith's horror-inspired black comedy, "Red State" is a take on American fundamentalism and its overreaction to touchy religious beliefs. By making everybody barely (if ever) sympathetic, Smith allows his characters to go through a modern-day Waco raid and calculates their actions as they attempt to make sense of this weird, twisted, and sick country we call our home. This film is sarcastically anti-American - not because of the freedoms (it expresses that freedoms are vital), but because how we tend to handle other points of view.
I'm not condoning any of the characters' beliefs in this film. Homophobia is wrong, but at the same time, people have the right to express it. This film isn't about combating homophobia - it's about combating people who try to combat alien viewpoints. Agent Keenan and Abin Cooper are both schmucks according to Mr. Smith. They see the world as a battleground, not a place where we can all agree to disagree. It's sad, really, that we have to conduct ourselves this way - that we waste away our lives doing this stupid stuff.
It ain't Dogma, though.
This review of Red State (2011) was written by Christopher T on 12 Mar 2012.
Red State has generally received mixed reviews.
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