Tusk (Kevin Smith, 2014)

I could write a very short review of Kevin Smith’s new movie, and it would look something like this:

#WalrusYes

The hashtag was invented during a podcast, where the listeners were suppose to tweet #WalrusYes or #WalrusNo depending if they wanted Smith to make a movie based on the story they’ve just discussed. The result became Tusk, which gloriously flopped in US cinemas, but I’m pretty sure it will make its money back in Europe and Asia - both in cinemas in and on home video. Why? Because it’s worth it.

It begins like any other Kevin Smith movie, two dudes talking. And it’s very funny. The dudes are Wallace (Justin Long) and Teddy (Haley Joel Osment) and they’re recording the latest episode of their hit podcast The Not-See Party. The concept is Wallance meeting crazy, original, bizarre people and tells Teddy about it in the show. This week he’s going to Canada to meet The Kill Bill Kid, a guy who accidentally cut of his leg while playing with a Japanese sword - and becomes a YouTube celebrity. But The Kill Bill Kid commits suicide before Wallace can meet him and now he need to meet someone else… and by coincidence he ends up in the home of Howard Howe (Michael Parks), a retired adventurer of the sea, who have some very special plans for Wallace: to turn him into Mr Tusk.

The less you know about Tusk the better it gets, but I guess most of the details have leaked out by now and yes, this is a movie about a man transforming another man into a walrus. A human fucking walrus. Almost like a human centipede actually, but a lot more fun. It’s hard to define Tusk, but I can assure it’s not so-called “torture porn” (oh Satan, what I HATE that expression) and I’m not sure I would call it horror either. For me it’s a pitch-black comedy, bordering to the surreal cinema of the European 70’s - but without leaving it’s indie comedy roots.

Like always with the works of Kevin Smith the writing is the most important thing. And Tusk is no difference. There’s a lot of talking, sometimes it feels a bit unfocused (for example when the utterly bizarre character Guy Lapointe shows up), but most of the time its brilliant, smart, human and very, very, very funny. Smith obviously loves to switch between quite realistic situations to the absurd, almost sketch-like stuff. The scene at the airport for example, or - as mentioned above - Guy Lapointe (which is a very strange cameo by a certain superstar - it’s not secret anymore, but I leave that for you to find out).

Tusk slowly becomes darker and darker, and the in the beginning so interesting and cozy Michael Parks gets more and more twisted, violent and sick - and hell, he’s so fucking good. We’re watching a master at work. He’s not as subtle unpleasant as in Red State, here he’s more chewing the scenery - but I would turn around if I met him anywhere. His character is also very interestingly written, a smart man - who obviously have problem coming up with good answers when Wallace starts asking what’s happening to him. Hard to describe, more fun to actually watch.

When leaving the Tusk screening I felt I never seen anything like it. It goes into some very strange territories, and there’s stuff I never seen before. Never. It’s not that it has a big budget or fancy special effects, it’s the ideas, dialogue and the characters that makes it come alive. Now I can’t wait for Smith’s next two episodes in this new trilogy of Canadian-themed horror-esque flicks, Yoga Hosers and Moose Jaws!

Comments

[gk]

great review. thanks. i liked red state a lot but he's usually quite hit or miss. going to keep an eye out for this one.

[Fred Anderson]

I think you will like it. I really dig when directors suddenly start doing what they obviously always wanted to do - like Tarantino and his foray into shameless genrefilm and exploitation during recent years. I think it's the same with Smith. He wants to do something different, something more odd, something that will polarize the fans.

[Megatron]

"The result became Tusk, which gloriously flopped in US cinemas,"

I´m surprsied by that, actually thought auidences would warm up to it.

"For me it’s a pitch-black comedy, bordering to the surreal cinema of the European 70’s - but without leaving it’s indie comedy roots."

I haven´t seen it yet but Smith has been nosing around pitch black comedy before, Dogma (1999) and as a producer for Vulgar (2000).

"Tusk slowly becomes darker and darker, and the in the beginning so interesting and cozy Michael Parks gets more and more twisted, violent and sick - and hell, he’s so fucking good."

There is a great cast here.....Parks and Long, I like them both.

"He’s not as subtle unpleasant as in Red State,"

I haven´t seen it yet.

"here he’s more chewing the scenery"

Maybe they thought it would be funnier this way?

"When leaving the Tusk screening I felt I never seen anything like it. It goes into some very strange territories, and there’s stuff I never seen before. Never. It’s not that it has a big budget or fancy special effects, it’s the ideas, dialogue and the characters that makes it come alive."

Cool....great review and thanks Fred......hoping Smith earns some money on this one.