Finally, an original horror film — just in time for Halloween. It would be easy to say that this story was extremely exaggerated, but unfortunately, I wouldn’t be surprised if something like it happened in this current climate. Not surprisingly, director Kevin Smith took a controversial distribution approach to this controversial story.
Though it debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Smith self-distributed the film theatrically, which is why it wasn’t available anywhere near Harrisonburg on the September release. But now, the film can now be streamed instantly on Netflix.
“Red State” follows the Cooper family, an extremist group who call themselves Christians. They protest outside the funerals of gays, declaring that God hates the gays and the deceased was punished because it was His will. While these actions occur outside of the movies with groups like Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kan., Smith took it a step further and made the Coopers the ones who drastically seek to enact “God’s justice.”
When three high school students in the area find an online ad for sex, they follow their hormones to the trailer of Sara Cooper (Oscar-winner Melissa Leo). She drugs them, and tied the boys up for torture and eventually death.
The Coopers validate the deaths by claiming that while God may say it’s wrong to take another human’s life, these sinners weren’t humans. The Coopers’ reasoning starts getting a little faulty once the federal agents showed up, and the Coopers open fire without hesitation. As I watched, I found myself trying to make sense of these people’s insane actions until I realized there’s no sense to it.
Smith was able to show the faults on both sides as Agent Joseph Keenan (John Goodman) is sent to the scene to destroy all witnesses, per his superior’s request. Once the law gets involved, it’s a good, old-fashioned, Tarantino-style shootout complete with shots to the head, crotch and eyes.
But the film isn’t all violence. The acting, especially from Leo, Goodman and Michael Parks — who played the “family’s” grandfather — was pretty impressive for such a low-budget film. From the moment Parks’ face is illuminated by the lectern, it’s easy to see that Smith wanted you to hate and fear this man more than Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger.
Even more disturbing than this villain is the host of followers, including children, who sit and smile while Abin discusses killing right in front of them. The lack of score added to the eerie, realistic quality as the only music came from the singing of the church members.
The Westboro Baptist Church protested the film’s release at Sundance and it was easy to see why. Though Smith isn’t new to controversial films — his 1999 film “Dogma” sent the Catholic Church into an uproar — this film took “Christianity” to a different level. The Cooper family would recite Bible verses as they strapped beaten men to a cross with plastic wrap to prepare them for slaughter. Some could take this as a direct, negative statement against Christianity, but Smith has been quoted saying, “
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