1. I did not like this movie. I didn't like any of the characters, even the ones that I think I was supposed to (though maybe I was supposed to hate everyone). I didn't like the message (more on this later). I didn't like the script or the dialogue or that it took only 75 seconds before the first (unfunny) gay joke. It actually was not offensively bad, but it really rubbed me the wrong way. I used to love Kevin Smith in Middle- and High-School and essentially give him a free pass on anything he did. The last thing he made that I really liked was Clerks: The Animated Series. At this point I'm more likely to avoid something with his name on it.
2. The title Red State had nothing to do with the plot of the movie itself, which was essentially what if the Westboro Baptist Church was a militant organization. There was no point at which they said why an organization like this would be geographically constrained. In fact if you remove the accents, people didn't act much differently than they would anywhere else in the moments that didn't involve firing guns or being crazy. Fred Phelps' church is actually name checked in this movie as "suers not doers" and not "gun freaks" like the villains. I think part of the intent was that being gay is more marginalized in the south but I'm pretty sure that, rightly or wrongly, society is not particularly kind to people that have homosexual affairs outside of their marriage no matter what part of the country they are in. And this movie had far fewer gay jokes than Smith's "Jersey Trilogy"
I can only assume the title Red State was meant to inflame people and thus create press coverage but it comes across as the perspective of someone who hasn't traveled much, hates our last president and thus uses a southern accent as short hand for stupid. This used to describe me, but I've traveled a lot the last two years and while my politics haven't changed it's become pretty clear that people of varying intellects and with crazy beliefs exist pretty much everywhere. I do wish people in the south would drive like they had somewhere to fuckin' be though.
3. The cast was star-studded- John Goodman, Kevin Pollack, Anna Gunn (Skylar from Breaking Bad), Stephen Root (IMDB him, you know who he is). Michael Parks' performance as the cult leader was very strong, but the content of his dialogue was not. The problems with the movie were script and direction. Those were both entirely Mr. Smith's responsibility
4. Here's my main problem with the film- it is an argument for nihilism. Obviously one of the main tenets of the film is that one shouldn't hold crazy beliefs, especially of a religious nature, so strongly that you harm others. I can stand behind that 100%. I think there are few that wouldn't. However, every time someone in this movie displays any sort of conviction or resolve they are killed mercilessly shortly thereafter trying to act on it. "We can't execute everyone in here, there are kids" BLAM "My sister is only 3 years old, I have to get her out of here" BLAM "Even though your family has tortured me and killed my friends I will help you get out of here because it's the right thing to do" BLAM. Sure, all the people with crazy beliefs get shot too, but this seems to be a movie where the message is anti-conviction whether it be good or bad. John Goodman's character, one of the few that survives, gives a monologue at the end of the film that clumsily attempts to tie a story about two close canine companions violently wrestling over a piece of chicken to the lengths people are driven to when they believe. Not when they believe crazy things, just when they believe. Goodman is subsequently given a vacation and a raise. Everyone other character is in jail or dead.
5. How the fuck in a movie where literally no one smokes weed, does Kevin Smith STILL find a way to make stoners the heroes at the end? Also, I would like to point out, not out of any sense of conviction or purpose but as a byproduct of screwing around.
