Kevin Smith steps outside his usual comedic territory with this direction and writing effort, a film that veers from extreme violence reminiscent of *Hostel* to a scenario involving a group under attack. The movie features Melissa Leo, Michael Parks, John Goodman, Michael Angarano, Kerry Bishe, and Nicholas Braun; the narrative centers on Parks’ character leading a religious organization that attracts young men with promises of intimacy with an older woman. Predictably, things aren't as they seem when those young men arrive, and viewers are subjected to hateful rhetoric delivered in sermon form alongside scenes drawing from the torture genre. *Red State* is frustrating in several respects, but it’s consistently engaging and thought-provoking, even though some of Smith’s attempts at conveying a message feel disjointed as the film progresses. There are three distinct changes in tone that don't quite mesh well together; Smith seems to struggle connecting satire, horror, and thriller elements. Unfortunately, the resolution to all these disparate parts feels underwhelming. A strong point is the cast, with Goodman, Leo, and Parks delivering noteworthy performances—Parks especially gets a chance to take on a central role. The film benefits from Dave Klein’s cinematography, and Smith displays moments suggesting he could be a capable director. Its initial performance at the box office and negative critical reception unfairly branded it as a poor movie. In reality, it's an intriguing disappointment with enough worthwhile qualities to make spending time with it worthwhile. Drawing parallels to places like Westboro and Waco, with a brief detour through *Hostel*, *Red State* leaves a lasting impression, for good or ill. 6/10

Source on TMDB