Monday, March 16, 2015

Tusk


Tusk ~ I haven't seen Red State yet, so this weird horror bent that Kevin Smith has been on of late is new to me. This, his second oddity in the field, is quite the eye opener. Twisted just doesn't seem to cover it.

The parts of Tusk that are recognizably Kevin Smith involve podcaster and former comedian Justin Long, who along with Haley Joel Osment does a podcast called The Not See Party. Sigh. Yeah, I know. The point of the podcast is for Long to interview folks and then later describe the experience to Osment, who 'doesn't see,' get it? They also mock the subjects mercilessly. Oh, it's bad, but it gets worse.

On a trip to the backwoods of Manitoba, an interview goes awry and Long must find a new subject. He goes to the home of Michael Parks, who claims to have been saved by a walrus. Once there, Parks drugs Long and amputates his leg, with plans to turn him into a walrus. No. I. Am. Not. Kidding. This is really effed up on a Human Centipede level, folks.

There is some brief humor, mostly at the expense of Canada, but once the transformation begins, this movie goes off the rails quickly and becomes unwatchable. Smith tries for horror but it falls apart when you realize what you're looking at. There's an almost O. Henry Freaks-like ending, but it doesn't take.

I was excited when I heard there was going to be a third Clerks movie, and even a Mallrats sequel, and now… after seeing Tusk, I'm not. Kevin, I love ya, but what the eff, man?

4 comments:

  1. From the moment I heard/read the premise of this movie I knew I had no interest in seeing it. It amazes me that so many flocked to see this but refused to see "Red State" which is a true horror movie and one that left me absolutely floored by the time the end credits ran. "Red State" is one of Kevin Smith's best movies and one that deserves way more attention.

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  2. You may have talked me into seeing Red State, DF. Honestly I was ready to wash my hands of Smith after Tusk.

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  3. Check out RED STATE and get back to me, Glenn. if you don't agree with me that it's an amazingly mature piece of work that should be considered one of the best horror movies in recent years, I'll watch and review any movie of your choice.

    As long as it's not THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE

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  4. You got yourself a deal, man.

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