Friday, 1 June 2012

Believers Do The Darnedest Things


OK, just a heads-up: for the next few posts, I'm going to try and work through the DVD's I have released this year, as well as the upcoming cinema releases I see. So, unless something comes up that spurs me into writing about something recent, it'll be movies for a little while. So, today, we have a movie that bypassed Australian cinemas (aside from cinemas used for a festival, if I recall correctly) and landed on DVD, thus counting it as a 2012 release here. I'm talking about Kevin Smith's latest, Red State.

Travis (Michael Angarano), Jared (Kyle Gallner) and Billy Ray (Nicholas Braun) take a trip out into the country to meet a woman for a session of group sex. It's a trap, however, and the three are drugged and kept captive at a compound by pastor Abin Cooper, who condemns them as homosexuals and plans to execute them all. After Cooper is interrogated by a local deputy (Matt L. Janes) over an incident involving the boys hitting the car of the sheriff (Stephen Root), gunshots are heard and sheriff Wynan calls in the ATF, with Agent Joseph Keenan (John Goodman) leading a taskforce against the compound.

I'm a big fan of Kevin Smith's work. Chasing Amy is my third fave film of all time (and having seen close to 1400, that's saying a lot) and Clerks 2 is also in my top 100. But this... I have mixed feelings about it. It's not a bad film, but it's unsettling, and not in the way I imagine Kevin intended.

First off, I have to wonder what exactly he was achieving with this film. A view on homophobic religious nuts, not unlike Fred Phelps and his vile Westboro Baptist Church? We see that everyday, this isn't shocking. It's hate-inspiring, yes, but just hearing those three words together is enough to make the blood boil. A commentary on how trigger-happy Americans can be? Again, old hat. The movie only manages to make a point toward the end, but until then, it's kind of aimless. Though it's a good point, a fantastic analogy about the human race.

Also, I'm a little puzzled as to why this movie is classified as an action-horror. I mean, the action aspect is obvious but horror? I guess it's up to the beholder and all, but I've always considered a movie a horror if it contains a supernatural villain or setting. Or in some circumstances, really horrific serial killers. But there's nothing here that's really in line with what you'd see in a horror film. An intense drama, maybe. Thriller, it would flirt with. But horror? Can't say I can see it.

(Below are slight spoilers, please be advised)

But I guess the biggest issue I have with the movie is with the character Cheyenne, played by Kerry Bishe. I had a debate with my best friend, Dave, about her, and I argue that the movie is trying to paint her as sympathetic but nothing she does throughout the movie suggests she is a sympathetic person. After witnessing all the shooting between the ATF agents and the residents of the compound, she decides to round up all the children of the compound and make a run for it, and she tries to force Jared into helping her. With his two friends having been killed, Jared is not interested in helping her.
And honestly? I can't say I blame him. She shows NO remorse over the events that have happened, regardless of whether or not his friends died at her hand. She shows nothing that suggests she has seen the error of her ways. She's stubborn. My friend argues that she hasn't been raised with much of a sense for a moral compass, or to know remorse, and probably knows little of the outside world. While I can see that, and agree with him on most points, I argue that the moment a person would set eyes on a gun, that should be enough for anyone, regardless of how sheltered they are, to start thinking “So, we have guns. Why?” Even if she's been raised to believe everyone is a sinner but them, wouldn't something deep down say to her “This just isn't right?” Yeah, I get that we're all raised differently (NO! I always thought we were given the exact same treatment Rolls eyes) but a gun is not something to be taken lightly.

That's not to say Jared and his friends are entirely sympathetic at the same time. I mean, going to meet an anonymous woman for group sex and not thinking to yourself “This is too good to be true” and having something in place in case you're wandering into danger, that's just plain stupid. I guess teenage boys really do think with their dicks. But hey, if you're going to choose danger with a chance of sex over, y'know, not being an idiot, go right ahead, see how many damns I give.

And last negative point, the dialogue's not as strong as I was hoping for, which is sad, considering how witty he's been in past films. Things don't really pick up until the ATF shows up, but even then, there's nothing really memorable or lasting. Not until the very end at least.

That being said, it has good points.

The action is fairly realistic and isn't stylized to make it seem glamorous. It's as tense and nerve-wracking as I imagine a realistic siege is.

Acting-wise, everybody is adequate for their role, nothing more to say. There are two exceptions: Stephen Root and John Goodman. Not only are they great on their own, their scenes together are hilarious and I hope they work together again in the future. But of the two, I'd give the crown to John Goodman, who actually looks a little gaunt and ragged in this movie. Which actually would fit the character more, so maybe it was on purpose. Either way, kudos to you, Mr. Goodman.

Well, that's really all I can say. A mixed bag, though still recommended. But easily my least fave Smith directed film so far, and I've seen them all. Oh well, still looking forward to Hit Somebody. 3/5


1 comment:

  1. Well after the other night, I think you know my thoughts on this one. Not a whole lot else I can say.

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