"Red State" (2011) Directed by Kevin Smith

To begin with, this is not a usual Kevin Smith film! Apart from very minor cameos there are no returning actors reprising previous roles or references to previous Smith films or Jay and Silent Bob. There is one major aside to this, the Director himself, so see if you can spot him! The other major difference is the camera work and editing (both by Smith), with the use of a Steadicam (or similar) for many scenes, up close scenes, chase sequences etc. This heightens the tension of the film and puts you as the viewer right in the middle of the film and is brilliantly and expertly done. There are numerous blurred or obscured shots (through a fence or wall or cage), deliberately and effectively so. The editing/cutting is also often between two opposing type images, giving a good versus bad, light versus dark effect, aptly demonstrated during Abin Cooper’s initial sermon, cutting from the Pastor to the congregation, often children playing or mumbling about being “a good climber”.

Another departure is the lack of a cinematic score which is replaced, but only very fleetingly but very effectively with a haunting almost subconscious hum and perceptible heartbeat in certain scenes, but apart from this excellent use, there is no further score. There is also a minimal soundtrack with the stand outs being Michael Parks singing Abin Cooper’s religious songs on the organ. Regular collaborator and Director of Photography David Klein returns and deserves great credit, as does Cabot McMullen for Production Design. The Director himself deserves enormous credit for a number of reasons and certainly for getting his film, his vision and his picture made and distributed. It’s a tour de force of film making and an incredible film and Kevin Smith also deserves credit for the editing, which is sublime, tight and propels this 88 minute film along perfectly.

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The above opening paragraphs are taken from my original spoiler free review of "Red State" penned and published over a decade ago, transferred to my Medium blog site on 25th December 2022 and which can now be read in full and for free via my Substack blog site and original updated article linked immediately below. I've also linked my original opus blog article on the entire cinematic career of Kevin Smith too:

https://ramblingmusings666.substack.com/p/red-state-2011-62bcdac638ce

https://medium.com/@stephenblackford561/kevin-smith-an-appreciation-1f1a3e272741

This spoiler free review is also integral to volume 5 of my 7 volumes of "essential film reviews collection". Currently only available as an e-book with each volume priced at £4.99, however each and every volume can be read for free should you have an Amazon Kindle "Unlimited" package:

Volume 5

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C4N25YCW

All 7 Volume Series

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C4HZSTTH?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tukn

https://www.patreon.com/TheBlackfordBookClub
https://www.paypal.me/TheBlackfordBookClub
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/steveblackford

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