Red State Directed by: Kevin Smith Starring: Kyle Gallner, Melissa Leo, John Goodman Rating: NR Release Date: March 10, 2011
TRAILER SCORE: 8/10
MY THOUGHTS: Being an avid horror fan and a so-so Kevin Smith fan, I've been keeping tabs on his latest project, Red Sate since I heard about it. Religious and political satire in the form of a horror movie, what's not to love? Okay, well, Republicans may not be super happy about Smith's latest development, but that's neither here nor there.
After months of waiting, it seems Red State finally has something to show for itself. Unfortunately it's only a teaser trailer, but it gives audiences plenty to work with. The selective silence of the trailer paired with the hymn creates a sense of unease that manages to make this roughly minute long teaser trailer seem to stretch on forever. In most movies that would be a bad thing, but in horror, that's what I live for. The sense of discomfort and the tension is nothing new to the horror trailer biz, but it's still impressive how quickly it develops and just sort of hangs there.
But it's not just the hymn and the uneasy quiet that's doing all the heavy lifting. After all, film is all about the visual too. What Smith has captured in this teaser trailer is pretty compelling stuff. The religious aspect (as well as Smith's mockery of the atrocities people commit in the name of religion) comes across powerfully, but oddly, considering there's no context. All in all, it's a mash up of disquieting music and the blood and guts that most horror fans crave.