Red State (2011) concerns the kidnapping of three high school kids by the religious sect ran by the Cooper family. The Cooper family are described early on as “the people even the Nazi's think are nut jobs”. The kids are taken to the Cooper family home, a heavily barracked church compound. Billed as the first Kevin Smith horror film, this is certainly a departure from his usual fare in many ways, especially aesthetically. Red State is shot on DV and the washed out, dark imagery is a notable contrast to the vibrant colour of many of his previous efforts (Clerks the obvious black and white exception). Smith even shows more comfort in moving his camera, a blistering chase scene through the churches compound during the mid point of the movie is thrilling, showing that Smith may be maturing in terms of his film-making technique.
