Red State (R)

Michael Parks, John Goodman, Michael Angarano, Stephen Root, and Ronnie Connell

Rating: 5 Stars

Praise go to Kevin Smith for his latest film, Red State, the first none comedy Smith has made to date. Taking his inspiration from the Phelps family of the Westboro Baptist Church, and blending it with the events of Waco, Tx., Smith delivers a must see film like no other.

Michael Parks leads his gay-hating family/ parish as Abin Cooper, a god fearing, gay hating man. He and his crew have vowed to cleans this word of the "gay menace, and have stock-piled there compound with a personal armory of their own. Michael parks does a great and believable job portraying the gospel crazed pastor, and keeping viewers engrossed his his dementia. On the Flip side to the is John Goodman portraying ATF special agent Joseph Keenan, who is tasked with bringing down Cooper and his followers, which leads to a bloody shoot-out at the compound.  As an interesting footnote, Kevin Pollak is in this film for all of 5 minutes.

This film is already on DVD and is highly recommended for any fan of Kevin Smith. For being his first thriller Smith writes/ directs a topnotch film that will leave all viewers surprised and filled with shock, deserving of its 5 stars.