Tusk, 2014.
Written and Directed by Kevin Smith.
Starring Justin Long, Michael Parks, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez and Johnny Depp.
SYNOPSIS:
Podcaster Wallace Bryton travels to Canada to interview internet sensation, ‘The Kill Bill Kid’, but when he finds out that he has committed suicide, he finds Howard Howe, a sea explorer who has plenty of stories to tell…
Tusk might be Kevin Smith’s best film in years, but compared to pretty much everything post Dogma, that’s not exactly a recommendation. In fact, it’s difficult to figure out who Tusk was actually made for, apart from Smith himself.
The product of a rambling conversation about a bizarre Gumtree ad, offering free living accommodation in turn for dressing up in a walrus costume, Tusk is sort of like Misery meets Human Centipede, struggling to reach the highs of the former and, in some strange way, making the latter a lot less disturbing.
The film follows podcaster Wallace Bryton, played as a Smith surrogate by Justin Long, who travels the country listening to weird people and their tales. After finding that his latest subject, ‘The Kill Bill Kid’ – referencing a now ancient viral video – has committed suicide due to harassment and bullying, he stumbles upon a note from sea explorer Howard Howe, who offers to tell him tales of adventure, in exchange for free lodging.
Also popping up are Wallace’s best friend and co host, Teddy, played by Haley Joel Osment, who looks like he’s seen more than enough dead people in his time, and his frustrated girlfriend Ally, played by Genesis Rodriguez, who adds some attractive window dressing among the more macabre aspects of Tusk.
There’s also another very memorable character that pops up about halfway through the film, but I’ll leave you to find that gem out for yourself. However, the true MVP of Tusk is definitely Michael Parks.
Effectively creepy at all the right times, he’s the character that brings Tusk closer to it’s body horror ideal than anyone else. The scene where he taunts Wallace across a dinner table might be the most effective in the movie, apart from the reveal of ‘Mr. Tusk’ himself, that is.
In a role that was originally offered to Quentin Tarantino – why do people want him to act in their movies? – Michael Parks is an intimidating screen presence. Yes, we already know what he wants with Wallace as soon as we set eyes on him, but the way Smith builds the tension throughout those first few scenes is quite impressive for the guy who brought us Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
Unfortunately, where the film loses momentum is when it tries to make us sympathetic towards Wallace. This stops the movie dead in its tracks, and is arguably the only thing in Tusk that will really make you look away in horror. Add to that a sub plot involving his girlfriend’s infidelity that surprises no one and never goes anywhere, and Tusk brings out the most self important version of Kevin Smith the director, who uses these flashbacks as a meditation on his own life as a podcaster and how it’s wrecked his own relationships – we don’t care, Kevin, we’re here to see someone get turned into a walrus.
Still, Kevin Smith deserves some kudos for creating a film as crazy and well accomplished as Tusk. It’s certainly his best looking film, bringing the mind classic horror films of the 1970s and Hammer horror years, with its long, echoing halls and rooms lit by candle light.
But the film, hindered by attempts to make itself seem important, whether as a satire of Canadian life or as a metaphor for something in Smith’s life, loses its way towards the end, becoming neither scary or funny.
In the end, Tusk is a film that Kevin Smith made because he could. It’s actually quite an impressive turn around, considering the podcast episode where he discusses the idea was released only last summer, and the film itself was finished just over a year later. But, it’s not going to win him any new fans – long time followers of Smith will praise it as a return to form, I see more as an interesting detour, until Clerks 3 shows up and disappoints us all, that is.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Matthew O’Donnell
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Originally published November 10, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
