When Red State was released in 2011, it was unlike anything the world had ever seen from Kevin Smith. For one thing, it wasn't a comedy in any way, shape or form. Instead, Smith had written and directed a dark, challenging horror drama featuring a potent central performance from Michael Parks, a character actor previously best known for small appearances in From Dusk Till Dawn and Kill Bill. Parks played Pastor Abin Cooper, a terrifying religious zealot who lured young homosexuals into his Five Points Trinity Church before murdering them. John Goodman played the ATF agent tasked with leading a raid against the Church, and the movie exploded into a shoot-out between the ATF and Cooper's heavily armed followers. The release and distribution of Red State caused quite a bit of controversy, with Smith eventually self-distributing the film under his own SModcast Pictures banner, after initially saying he was going to auction the rights to the film after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Regardless of this messy issue, when the film is looked at objectively, it undoubtedly shows Smith trying his hand at something completely new and outside his comfort zone. The film is not perfect - many have accused it of being overly wordy and too preachy - but it is a very interesting picture nonetheless and does boast several dynamic set pieces and moments of ratcheting tension. Smith coaxes good to great performances across the board, with the aforementioned Parks deserving particular credit for his spine-tingling delivery of Smith's dialogue.
