Red State

An impressive departure for Kevin Smith, Red State details the turmoil that ensues for three teenagers (Michael Angarano’s Travis, Nicholas Braun’s Billy Ray, and Kyle Gallner’s Jarod) after they’re captured by Michael Parks’ charming yet sinister Abin Cooper and his band of religious fundamentalists. It’s a compelling premise that is, for the most part, employed to better-than-average effect by Smith, as the writer/director offers up a grim and relentlessly gritty thriller that’s certainly a far cry from his usual fare – with the movie’s down-and-dirty atmosphere perpetuated by an emphasis on increasingly (and impressively) dark elements. The rather conventional nature of Red State‘s opening 20 minutes – the movie does, after all, initially play like a typical teen horror flick – is hardly indicative of what follows, as Smith does an effective job of confounding the viewer’s expectations on a progressively pronounced basis. The most obvious example of this is unquestionably the lengthy sermon delivered by Parks’ character in the minutes following the protagonists’ abduction, with the scene, though exceedingly well acted by Parks, bringing the proceedings to a dead halt and wreaking havoc on the film’s tenuous momentum. The movie likewise suffers from a stop-and-start structure that generally prevents one from wholeheartedly embracing the narrative, as Smith often cuts to lengthy, sporadically awkward dialogue-based interludes just as things are beginning to get interesting (eg Goodman’s FBI agent engages in a blatantly expository phone call with his boss). Red State‘s pervasive unevenness ultimately prevents it from become the consistently engrossing and tense thriller that Smith has clearly intended, yet, by that same token, the film boasts more than enough positive attributes to warrant a mild recommendation – with, especially, the strong performances and smattering of shocking moments sustaining one’s interest from start to finish.

**1/2 out of ****