By Robert Scucci
| Revealed
Lengthy earlier than I discovered my ardour for digging up motion pictures that play higher than their crucial reputations recommend, Kevin Smith made a bit horror comedy in 2014 referred to as Tusk that I fully wrote off and forgot about because of its 45 p.c crucial rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Having since spent years reviewing motion pictures with single-digit scores that I really feel are higher than a few of their critically acclaimed counterparts, I lastly determined to provide this one a go. In my thoughts, 45 p.c most likely interprets to no less than a B minus based mostly on how I personally fee movies.
I’m admittedly a bit squeamish in terms of physique horror, although I’ll nonetheless try movies like Possessor and Stopmotion if the synopsis sounds compelling sufficient. And let me inform you one thing. Justin Lengthy getting reworked right into a walrus sounds fairly compelling for one very particular cause.
I used to hate Justin Lengthy as a result of he at all times performs a jerk. After watching motion pictures like Barbarian and The Wave and completely having fun with them for this precise cause, I’ve come to understand that that is the place his expertise actually lies. Given how a lot enjoyable he appears to have enjoying a jerk in practically each venture he’s in, I’ve began to consider he’s most likely disproportionately good in actual life and dwelling vicariously by way of his characters. Add Kevin Smith’s twisted humorousness to the equation, and Tusk turns into important viewing for anybody who loves violent and weird B-movie schlock.
Begins With A Podcast
Justin Lengthy’s Wallace Bryton, sporting his greatest Anthony Kiedis mustache, is launched by way of his offensive podcast, The Not-See Celebrationthe place he and his cohost Teddy Craft (Haley Joel Osment) roast viral movies. Following a lead a few Manitoba-based, katana swinging teenager often called the Kill Invoice Child, Wallace is disenchanted to find that the topic of the video dedicated suicide, that means he traveled to Canada for nothing.
In an try and salvage his journey whereas nonetheless producing content material, Wallace hears a few man named Howard Howe (Michael Parks), whose flyer claims vacationers can reside with him totally free as long as they take heed to tales about his life. Driving out to the center of nowhere, Wallace prepares for what he believes would be the interview of a lifetime. As a substitute, he’s drugged and slowly stitched right into a human sized walrus swimsuit.
In the meantime, Teddy and Wallace’s girlfriend Ally (Genesis Rodriguez), having not heard from him in days, obtain an alarming voicemail detailing his present predicament. They enlist the assistance of former detective Man LaPointe (Johnny Depp), who has been looking for Howard for so long as he can bear in mind, below the suspicion that he’s accountable for numerous lacking individuals instances similar to Wallace’s. Decided to rescue their buddy, the trio units out to Howard’s final recognized tackle, fully unaware of the brutality ready for them.
Manufacturing Values That Transcend Its Price range
Regardless of its meager, three million greenback manufacturing price range, the sensible physique horror results in Tusk are greater than stable. We get graphic closeups of Wallace throughout and after his transformation, and so they’re completely nauseating in the absolute best means. Justin Lengthy’s look of bewildered misery actually sells the complete ordeal. He begins the film overly assured and smug, solely to finish up as a person trapped inside a walrus’s physique.
Since I’ve personally by no means been sewn right into a lifelike walrus swimsuit constructed from scraps of my very own amputated limbs towards my will, I can’t say how I’d react in an identical scenario. What I can say is that Lengthy sells it convincingly, so credit score the place it’s due.
The perfect a part of Tuskalthough, is Johnny Depp. It feels just like the function of Man LaPointe was written particularly for him, although reviews recommend it was initially written for Quentin Tarantino, who handed on it. Depp is enthusiastic, eccentric, haunted by his previous, and pushed by his obsession with Howard. He carries himself like a flask-swigging, hard-boiled personal detective who’s nicely previous his prime.
Whereas I loved Tusk nicely sufficient earlier than his arrival, Johnny Depp’s presence and talent to command each scene he’s in is what actually sealed the deal for me.
An attention-grabbing tackle physique horror combined with comedy, Tusk isn’t for everybody, however I’m glad I lastly received round to watching it. It has the identical sick humorousness you’d anticipate from Kevin Smithhowever it’s targeted squarely on this particular style, displaying his vary in ways in which characters like Jay and Silent Bob merely can’t. As soon as once more haunted by the conclusion that I may have watched this film over a decade in the past and loved it simply as a lot, it’s one other reminder of why you must at all times take what critics say with a grain of salt.
As of this writing, Tusk is streaming on Netflix.