Red State
2011
****
Director: Kevin Smith
Cast: Michael Angarano, Kerry Bishé, Nicholas Braun, Kyle Gallner, John Goodman, Melissa Leo, Michael Parks, Kevin Pollak, Stephen Root
Three horny teenagers go on a group sex date, which turns out to be a trap set by Albin Cooper and his extremist religious group Five Points Trinity Church, who take the kids hostage. Kevin Smith has made a career out of dialogue-heavy, pop culture-obsessed comedies which have never really appealed to me. This self-distributed exploitation flick is a total departure for him, and his finest work to date. During the snappy and refreshing 90 minutes, the story pulls the rug out from under us time and time again. One moment it's a conventional horror film, then a pitch black comedy, the next it's a family drama and a hostage thriller where you root for the bad guys. The latter sections throw in shootouts, government conspiracies and a religious twist with a twist. The performances are great, and Smith directs the whole thing like he's just graduated from film school. The cult leader Cooper is clearly influenced by Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church, and the second half events brings back memories of the 1993 siege in Waco, Texas.
