Kevin Smith's Red State (2011)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0873886/
Word is Kevin Smith’s latest "controversial" horror flick isn't even scary, let alone controversial...

I’m not really one to spoil a movie before watching it, but honestly, this feels a bit like a dig at Americans who aren't, you know, straight out of Beverly Hills or Manhattan.
Especially since Smith himself comes from the "real" USA—working-class New Jersey.

I’ve watched the trailer, and honestly, I just don't see Smith in this. It’ll probably be worth a watch eventually, but even though he wrote and directed it, the old Smith isn't quite there.

John Peterson3 said:Watching the trailer

What's the point when you can just watch a DVD rip? 😁

Andrew Hill28 said:Why bother when you can just watch a DVD rip? 😁

I’m not rushing into this blindly. Movies about religious fanatics don't appeal to me; I just can't bring myself to start one. Even if it is Kevin Smith—and I love him—I think I'll stick to Attack The Block first.

John Peterson3 said:I’ve been watching the trailer, and honestly, I just don't see Smith in this role. Don't get me wrong, it looks like something worth catching eventually, but even though he's handling both the writing and directing duties here, I find myself missing that classic Smith energy we all know and love.

I have to agree, ☕

I just finished watching this, and man, it is worlds away from what people usually expect when they hear the name Kevin Smith. It’s this gritty, low-budget action thriller about religious fanatics who lure three teenagers into a trap via the internet by promising them some kind of windfall—and that’s really just where the chaos begins.

Personally, I actually enjoyed it, even if it doesn't dive too deep into philosophical questions or offer many profound answers. To be clear, once you strip everything else away, it’s your classic siege movie: you've got the bad guys barricaded inside, the good guys fighting their way in from the outside, and a frantic shootout happening in between where people die fast and suddenly. You don't really get a chance to form a deep emotional connection with most of the characters (except for John Goodman, who is absolutely phenomenal!), so you mostly just find yourself observing the madness unfold almost like a documentary until the very end.

If you’re looking for the classic, witty Kevin Smith style, you should probably skip this one. Likewise, if you’re demanding something more intellectually heavy, it might not be for you. However, if you're just in the mood for some pure, unadulterated entertainment and intense gunplay without overthinking the plot, then honestly, go ahead and give it a watch.

Anyone looking for the old-school Smith is gonna have to forget about the last ten years of Kevin's life ☕

If the rapture actually happened after Trump's term... maybe the movie would have stood a chance...
Plus, Smith would've stayed true to his roots... (think Dogma).

I’ve been scrolling through some IMDb reviews lately, and I’ve also had several conversations with folks who have actually traveled across the States, all of whom mentioned the sheer density of churches out there—not just standard ones, mind you, but these endless clusters of self-proclaimed prophets who gather followers into their own private cults or sects, essentially treating people like sheep just to bleed them dry financially... 😁 Some of these leaders command massive congregations, far larger than the priest or pastor we see depicted in this film... It honestly strikes me as almost surreal how easily people can be swayed into swallowing the nonsense spewed by a single individual, let alone being willing to commit murder on their behalf (take the case of Charles Manson, for instance)

Honestly, this movie was such a letdown. If it had just been some goofy, low-budget trash flick, I might’ve actually enjoyed it...

Terry Morris41 said:It’s just a total dud—if it had been some silly, low-budget trash flick, I might have actually enjoyed it...

True enough... As great as old-school, low-budget Smith can be, I don't think he's really built for something this big or "serious"—he's just not that kind of actor, and honestly, he isn't quite at that level...

I was honestly counting down the minutes until the credits rolled 👎

Bad movie. Honestly, I have no idea how it managed to scrape a 6.4 on IMDb. It’s incredibly overrated...

I ended up turning this crap off halfway through; I just couldn't deal with it, honestly, it was pretty terrible...

It’s actually halfway entertaining 🙂

So Kevin Smith wanders off into some gorgeous...

Though, let’s be honest, he was never really anyone special to begin with.

After checking out Jay & Silent Bob, I tried sitting through this one along with Zack & Miri, but I ended up turning both off before they actually finished... I guess Chasing Amy might be the best of the bunch...

frozenskipper12 said:To be fair, he was never really a major superstar to begin with.

Maybe not, but back in his prime, he definitely brought something unique to American cinema. There’s a very specific kind of charm found in movies like Clerks and Chasing Amy.

The last decade, though? It's been a disaster. He hasn't managed to turn out a single decent film since.

I can't say for certain how much depth there really is to the Trader series, though I will admit they felt quite refreshing at the time. I still recall sitting down to watch Trader 2, which possesses such a distinct, lingering charm that I felt compelled to immediately download the original just to experience it all over again.

Yet, I found myself struck by a certain disappointment, wondering if the film hasn't aged far less gracefully than one might have hoped.

I'm inclined to agree regarding Chasing Amy; it is undoubtedly his finest work.

Patrick Martin wrote a quick reviewof those deep dives.
honestly one of the better ones I've seen lately ☕