Tusk: A Transformação

Ah, Kevin Smith – I knew him well (mainly in the nineties during his Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy period). I would always say that he's one hell of a writer of dialogue, whether his work falls straight into the 'comedy' bracket, or he dabbles in other genres, i.e. romance, science-fiction fantasy or horror. And, this time round, he's playing with the 'horror genre.' 'Tusk' tells the tale of a complete idiot (played delightfully by Justin Long). He's a typical product of the modern age – a podcaster with ideas way above his station. Yes, he's a little bit famous, but it appears that a little bit of fame corrupts almost as much as absolute power. He thinks he's 'it' and lets everyone know it, whether it's his co-presenter, his doting girlfriend, or generally anyone he meets along the way.

One article on his upcoming podcast is an interview with a Canadian 'celebrity' who's also made his name on the internet. Sadly, the 'celebrity' in question is so traumatised with his newfound fame that he kills himself, 'selfishly' leaving our glorious podcaster with nothing to report on while in Canada. That's when he happens upon an interesting offer in a men's restroom. It leads him to a reclusive hermit, played brilliantly by Michael Parks, who offers to tell him his life's story.

This is the fun part. The interaction between the two is just about as perfect as dialogue can be. The two exchange tales and taken on life in the setting of Park's Gothic mansion. The tension is cranked right up to the max – you know something is going to happen (something bad, obviously), but you just don't know what. This atmosphere is just electrifying when combined with the snappy dialogue. Everything is going great until...

...the film just kind of switches atmosphere and great dialogue for cheap shocks. And shocks that look pretty bad rather than shocking. The second half of the film is everything that the first half isn't, i.e. cheesy. Yeah, there are a few moments of brilliance thrown in there, but, when you realise what's actually happening, you'll probably just shout, 'What... seriously?' It just doesn't work. It feels like someone has tacked a second (lesser) film onto a good one. If I was rating the first half I'd say it was awesome. If I was rating the second half I'd say don't bother. Fans of Kevin Smith may like the dialogue (like I did), but most people will not really go for this on account of the sudden change in mood that doesn't fit where the film was originally heading.

Best to watch this one for free however you can before you invest in actually paying for it. Some people may find the second half as shocking as it was intended. Personally, I just found it a let down and stupid. Pity.

The very definition of "not for everyone", Tusk is an oddball, absurd, twisted midnight movie that plays more like a demented fever dream than a horror or comedy film. I'd never recommend it to anyone I intend to ever speak to again.

Here are the reasons why you won't like it:

1) It's unexpectedly surreal, with little interest in the laws of reality, or at least modern medicine and police work. And it's not directed in an obviously surreal, arty fashion like, say, a David Lynch picture, which makes it even harder to wrap your head around.

2) It's got an odd tone. There's comedy, sure, but it's mostly a slower, more cringe- inducing variety than Kevin Smith is typically known for. There's suspense, and a bit of gross-out, but the film evokes more unease than outright scares, and the grotesqueries are more evocative of a nightmare after eating one too many sliders than, say, Saw. And it swings freely between the two with no warning at all.

3) You haven't seen Tod Browning's "Freaks", a classic bit of cult cinema that Smith has made references to in other films. In fact, you probably don't even know it exists. (Cinephiles will notice rather direct references to many of Kev-O's other favorite movies as well, including Silence of the Lambs and Jaws.)

4) You're Canadian, and your country and culture are No Laughing Matter.

If for some reason none of the above applies to you, may I recommend "Tusk"? It's oddball, gonzo, at times self indulgent and slow, but also occasionally very funny and strangely thought-provoking, provided you're willing to go along for the ride. It'll make an impression...especially if your short-term memory "isn't what it used to be."

"The walrus is far more evolved than any man I've ever known. Present company included." Howard Howe (Michael Parks)

Tusk may be the most accessibly bizarre film you will see this year. Writer/director Kevin Smith, not known for subtlety, has crafted a smart horror film that comments on humanity, relationships, and obsession. If you're not into philosophizing or theme hunting, you can still enjoy his expert use of horror-film tropes to satisfy your macabre urges.

Podcaster Wallace Bryton (Justin Long) travels to Manitoba to interview Howard Howe, an eccentric adventurer claiming to have great adventures to tell. Before long, Wallace is kidnapped by Howard for the purpose of transforming him into a walrus. That's weird, of course, but Parks and Smith make it a believable obsession, as John Lennon made the lyrics of I am the Walrus sound as if he actually was saying something profound. Based on the Lewis Carroll poem, the Walrus and the Carpenter, Lennon's lyrics picked the villain of the duo for his title while he really meant the good guy (the carpenter).

Anyway, the walrus motif here is part absurd and part profound, the latter relating to the reduction of a foul, motor-mouthed podcaster into the animal he really is (witness his blathering egotism with his girlfriend, Ally Genesis Rodriguez and his more important mockery of a YouTube self mutilator). For me, a dilettante compared to knowledgeable freak geeks, the makeup used in that Walrus bit is effective—so much so I had to look away even though it wasn't grotesque. It just fit perfectly in the man-is-an-animal theme.

Smith again shows his low-brow versatility when he humorously slams both Canadians: "I don't wanna die in Canada!" (Wallace Bryton) and Americans (see the carryout sequence).

Its weird, unique, clever, odd, funny, intriguing, stupid, wacky, surprising, disturbing, sinister, gross, rubbery, and of course Walrusy!!!

It did entertain.

It may be a piece of genius but I'm not sure lol.

Check it out for yourself but you will need to be open-minded :)

I am biased in the realm of Kevin Smith movies so, for the record, my thoughts on TUSK are probably going to be a little more forgiving that what I believe is the general consensus (this movie gotten beaten down on Rotten Tomatoes). I've been a fan of Kevin Smith for years and I know I'll always give his movies a chance. Since the completion of his Jersey series (the Jay/Silent Bob era), his movies have certainly been hit and miss. None have been able to recapture the same level of fun but many have come close. TUSK is one of them. I love the Smith has reached a point where he's not trying to reach general audiences, opting instead to make movies for his existing fans. He's not afraid to go wild with a bizarre idea if it sounds like it could be fun. TUSK is the first film in what will be a trilogy of films set in Canada and opens with our introduction to Wallace Bryton (Justin Long). Wallace is a podcaster with his best friend Teddy (Haley Joel Osment), living a successful life of producing his zany web show and failing to be faithful to his beautiful long-time girlfriend Ally (Genesis Rodriguez). He sets off alone into a remote area of Manitoba for an interview bit and finds a story in the mysterious Howard Howe (Michael Parks). Howard has lived a life of adventure and wishes to share his tale of sailing the sea, meeting Ernest Hemingway, and forming a friendship with a walrus on a deserted island….

TUSK is a horror/comedy but it really struggles to fully function in either capacity. It finds a decent balance and I thought it was a weird, fun movie but it's never all that scary or funny enough. This isn't much of an issue for me because the movie's insane premise keeps it interesting and the performances, particularly Michael Parks, are so well done. The biggest problem with TUSK is actually the main character, Wallace. Not the performance; Justin Long does an awesome job. The actual character. Wallace is thoroughly unlikable. He's dismissive of his girlfriend and early scenes show how little he cares about her outside the bedroom. He proudly brags about his infidelities to his best friend/fellow podcaster Teddy, and he's got no moral qualms with taking advantage of others for the sake of producing his show. He's crude, self- centered, and arrogant and, when he finds himself in a horrifying situation, I had zero sympathy for him. Go ahead, Mr. Howe. Wallace deserves it; he already lacks any humanity. So right there, the movie is lacking suspense because I don't care what happens to our protagonist. I care more about Ally and Teddy who, despite how much of a jerk Wallace is, still rush off to Canada to find him when they learn he's in trouble. The real star (and most people seem to agree) is Michael Parks. His raving zealot character in Smith's RED STATE has got nothing on Howard Howe. He gets to go full- blown lunatic in TUSK. He starts off seemingly harmless: an old man in an electric wheelchair with a flair for elegant (if awkward) speech and a desire to share his stories with an interested party. But soon he drops the pretense, reveals his true self, and goes off the chain. It's almost hilarious but you know, if you were trapped alone with this man in the middle of nowhere, you were be scared out of your mind.

What I enjoy most about TUSK is that it was done on a super-low budget and has to get creative as a result. That means practical effects. No CG. Any film using practical makeup FX is going to earn bonus points with me. We all know what's coming from the start of the movie and we're waiting anxiously for it. When the suit finally makes its appearance halfway through the film, it does not disappoint. Of course it's going to look fake. I don't care about that. It's a physical prop with presence and weight, it's hideous, it's a little funny, and it works 100% for me. The suit comes out. The walrus training begins. Things get weird. Meanwhile, Ally and Teddy are on the case and, for a while, their story is the more interesting one. Their adventure in Canada to investigate Wallace's disappearance leads them to an encounter late in the film with the film's second strangest character Guy Lapointe. I hated the character the first time I watched TUSK, thinking him too goofy for the film, but he'd grown on me by the second viewing. A former police investigator who's gone solo in his investigation of the weird series of missing persons in Manitoba, he's a surprise cameo (if you've managed to avoid spoilers) that is going to play a larger role in the second film of Smith's Canada film trilogy. I'm annoyed that he shows up so late in the game and it feels like it leads to a rushed conclusion to end the film. The first hour or so of the movie is very slowly paced and then it all gets wrapped up in a quickie of a climax at the finish.

TUSK is a movie for Kevin Smith fans and I'm sure not all of them are going to dig it. It's a movie for people with a taste for the weird. It's got good (some great) performances, awesomely disturbing makeup FX, and Smith's unique style of writing running through it. Smith fans will probably have already sought this movie out, but I recommend others give it a shot as well.