Red State (Smith, 2011)

[ayaa1977]

IMDb Link

Synopsis: After receiving an online invitation for sex from a mysterious woman, three teenaged boys head to the town of Cooper’s Dell. But instead of enjoying the night of their dreams, the teens are plunged into the nightmarish world of Abin Cooper, a fundamentalist preacher with a deadly moral agenda.

There is a debate currently on this very forum regarding whether the art can or should be evaluated or appreciated separately from its artist. I personally lean toward the opinion that says it can’t. I am not saying it shouldn’t, all am saying that practically knowing the background of the project and who is behind it or putting it in context with the filmmaker filmography is something inescapable especially in these days and ages.  And unless you are living under a rock, avoiding every trailer, showbiz blog, news, podcast, website, etc, you really can’t help it. That is why Red State is a surprising film on many levels, and it is in fact the most impressed of a Kevin Smith film I have ever been. I am not a big fan of his films; in fact I am not even (a) fan. I admire his way with words there, the wittiness and the humor, but films are not just dialogue and unfulfilled ideas. Films are visual medium first.  That is why I am a bigger fan of his podcasts and interviews, because those are where he shines the most. Kevin Smith started at the same time as Tarantino, and while Tarantino really mastered the written and the visual alike and never stopped wowing us with every film he makes, Kevin Smith kept doing the same shtick over and over. That is why I can’t separate my review of Red State from the writer, editor, and director Kevin Smith. Inevitable, I will have to gives him props for things and choices he made in this film I would not have mentioned if it was not another filmmaker, perhaps.

So let’s talk about Red State, a suspense (horror?!) that would sneak on you with its twist and turns, and despite its many flaws, one should at least admire it if not outright love it. Visually impressive, the way it shot and cut, employing different techniques, sometimes the camera is shaky, sometimes steady, all in the service of keeping the mood of the film. I am not really a technical guy, and I don’t keep up with the proper terms regarding the shooting styles. But I can see that the filmmaker is taking chances and changing gears depending and what the scene and the overall arc require. As for the script, it is also as good. There is a long sermon scene at the middle of the film that Michael Parks nut-job minster gives, that is just brilliant. It is a full sermon of a guy preaching to the quire, and you might ask what would it accomplish. I would say two things; for once you see how unabashedly these people believe in his message, so you would buy what they would do for his cause later on, and the second is to observe the fear stewing in the outsiders they captured, the protagonist if you will. I must say that acting is just excellent of everyone, Michael Park in particular is amazing, and Melissa Leo as well. Even the young actors in the films, they did a fantastic job. The director's hand is all over the acting. He even got his body comedian Ralph Garman, who plays Melisa Leo’s husband, to do a usual Smith shtick by playing his entire part silent, which made him really menacing. What goes inside that church is frightening, suspenseful, and will keep you on edge. It is perhaps why this film is classified as horror.

Then the film takes a turn and introduces a new element and a new prospective, the government. Here he draws parallel between believing in higher power and following its order and scripture (or what one interprets of it) without questioning. He calls out the blind following in (God’s) word and blind following in government orders. There is a scene where John Goodman’s policeman is talking to unseen authority figure on the phone and demanding the order in a (text) form so he can protect himself later when questioned, I really admired the gotcha moment in here. But it’s the part this film gets heavy-handed in the parallel and where the film starts to fall apart a bit. Some characters start doing irrational choices to fit the mold, or perhaps to force it into it. It gets sloppy and undercut the overall strength of the film in this third act.  Thankfully the film is saved by a great ending scene, which I am surprised I liked because it is mainly an exposition scene where everything is explained, and closed by a perfect final shot.

I tried to be as vague as possible because I do want to experience this film first hand, and hopefully then we can have a deeper discussion and dissect the film and it’s messages furthermore.

My Rating 4/5.

[animatedude]

you think this would get released in theaters here?

[ayaa1977]

you think this would get released in theaters here?

Yeah, Lions Gate has the rights and it willl have release in the States in a few weeks. There is nothing about it to be censored.

[fizz]

Ayaa, you've been on a roll recently with these reviews - especially of stuff yet to come out. Did you move state side and we didn't know about or you negotiating the opening of a new secret cinema chain in KSA?

Anyway, I like the points you've raised. I don't think I've seen a release date for the film this year, but if it does come out, I'd be curious to see it, though Smith's been in the pits recently.

[ayaa1977]

Ayaa, you've been on a roll recently with these reviews - especially of stuff yet to come out. Did you move state side and we didn't know about or you negotiating the opening of a new secret cinema chain in KSA?

Anyway, I like the points you've raised. I don't think I've seen a release date for the film this year, but if it does come out, I'd be curious to see it, though Smith's been in the pits recently.

 There is no secret. These are films on VOD services like iTunes. You get to rent the film for 24 hrs for $9.99 which gives you the privilege of watching these small indie films before their theatrical releases. I have a US iTunes account that I refill with iTunes gift cards I buy on eBay. I also found a loophole I described to both Shariq and KT that let me subscribe to Netflix for $8 a month which allows me to watch many classic and new releases for a bargain price.

BTW, there is a cinema I was told in KAUST (King Abdullah University for Science and Technology) only 55 km outside Jeddah. Unfortunately, getting into campus is only restricted for students, faculty, or people who can get visitor cards.

[animatedude]

Ayaa, you've been on a roll recently with these reviews - especially of stuff yet to come out. Did you move state side and we didn't know about or you negotiating the opening of a new secret cinema chain in KSA?

Anyway, I like the points you've raised. I don't think I've seen a release date for the film this year, but if it does come out, I'd be curious to see it, though Smith's been in the pits recently.

 There is no secret. These are films on VOD services like iTunes. You get to rent the film for 24 hrs for $9.99 which gives you the privilege of watching these small indie films before their theatrical releases. I have a US iTunes account that I refill with iTunes gift cards I buy on eBay. I also found a loophole I described to both Shariq and KT that let me subscribe to Netflix for $8 a month which allows me to watch many classic and new releases for a bargain price.

BTW, there is a cinema I was told in KAUST (King Abdullah University for Science and Technology) only 55 km outside Jeddah. Unfortunately, getting into campus is only restricted for students, faculty, or people who can get visitor cards.

ya....wow i wonder what crap they show in there  

btw, you said you have a US iTunes account....two things

-why do you buy the cards from ebay? i think they are available in some Apple reseller stores here?

-have you used this US account to buy stuff from the US Apple store? i'm asking you this because i only ordered iPhone 4 from the UK Apple store using my local bank card and it works but it doesn't if i use my card on the US Apple Store.

next month the iPhone 5 will be released and it will be much cheaper to buy it from the US website since Apple started offering unlocked US iPhones on its US stores.meaning, here in the gulf there will not be any unlocked iPhone 5 for 3400-3800 SR or Dirham like we've seen in the past because suppliers will start buying them from the US instead of Europe because there will be cheaper!

[ayaa1977]

btw, you said you have a US iTunes account....two things

-why do you buy the cards from ebay? i think they are available in some Apple reseller stores here?

-have you used this US account to buy stuff from the US Apple store? i'm asking you this because i only ordered iPhone 4 from the UK Apple store using my local bank card and it works but it doesn't if i use my card on the US Apple Store.

next month the iPhone 5 will be released and it will be much cheaper to buy it from the US website since Apple started offering unlocked US iPhones on its US stores.meaning, here in the gulf there will not be any unlocked iPhone 5 for 3400-3800 SR or Dirham like we've seen in the past because suppliers will start buying them from the US instead of Europe because there will be cheaper!

I buy it from eBay because in Jarir they sell the cards with the rate of SR5 for $1, while from eBay I pay only a few extra bucks above the nominal price. As for US Store, I tried buying my iPad with the cover from there, and the transaction went through for a while, but then after shipping the leather cover, they cancelled the iPad and refund me its money, I got the cover though. I think you would have to wait a while or buy it over on eBay if you are impatient.

[shariqq]

[kaytee]

LoL @ Shariqq..

[madali]

Ayaa, I havent commented on your reviews, but I want you to know that I read them all, and take notes of which movies to watch in the future.

[animatedude]

Ayaa, you've been on a roll recently with these reviews - especially of stuff yet to come out. Did you move state side and we didn't know about or you negotiating the opening of a new secret cinema chain in KSA?

Anyway, I like the points you've raised. I don't think I've seen a release date for the film this year, but if it does come out, I'd be curious to see it, though Smith's been in the pits recently.

dude any idea why you don't like to share the release dates you receive? is Win Win going to be released over here?

[ayaa1977]

Ayaa, I havent commented on your reviews, but I want you to know that I read them all, and take notes of which movies to watch in the future.

I appreciate that Mad. I also take cues from you all the time. Is not that what we are here for

[madali]

I thought it was for the hot sex.

[ayaa1977]

I thought it was for the hot sex.

That too, lol. But enough digressing. Shariq will blow a fuse if we keep doing that, and may go postal on this thread :p

[animatedude]

aah at that "i wanted you to know" speech