Tusk [2014]

Ahhhh Kevin Smith, just when I thought that he had left the cinema, here he comes with a ten-ton hammer. To the face. There are a couple of things that I’m not sure you should know before watching the movie, butt fuck it, I’m gonna tell you anyway: This movie was not based on actual events although it claimed that at the beginning. It’s based on a podcast that Kevin Smith and his producing partner Scott Mosier published last year. However, some of the elements used to create the story were true, with Kevin and Scott extrapolating them to the point of comedy.

You should also know that this is a fucked up horror movie, although it looks timid enough when you start watching it. If you decide to check it out, it will reward you greatly, be certain of that. Boasting an impressive cast, Tusk is a carefully written, professionally directed horror/comedy that makes you think. Like a fucking bulldozer, it devastates classical setups and current trends, practically taking horror to the next, dare I say, European level. Although I also enjoyed the whole Canadian angle that I hope they will take not so seriously.

Welcome to the 21st century, the age of unbelievable progress. Technological progress that is, because we as humans are “progressing” very slowly and most of the time we’re actually regressing. Wallace Bryton and Teddy Craft are two podcasters with a show that’s making them famous. They are enjoying all this, but to accommodate the needs of the “market”, Wallace had to slightly change his attitude and way of thinking. The world is the same as it ever was, but with all this technology and “custom realities” it’s easy to forget that. After seeing a viral video of a guy who chops off his leg with a sword, Wallace decides to find the guy in order to further milk the whole thing. What he will actually find in Canada is the meaning of life.

Custom reality is a neat expression that tries to encompass the world view we all have. Because we are so technologically advanced we can create our own worlds, just the way we like it. In it, we’re fed custom information and concepts through movies, television, and the Internet. This is why so many people found Tusk to be too heavy, too graphic, and too sick or any other term that can define what is undefinable, life. There are some sick things out there, and we have to accept that, even though they are fairly difficult to watch for some.

The comparisons to The Human Centipede can only be made if you’re talking about graphic content. So, if you have some friends who are horror fans and they haven’t seen this movie, it’s a great choice to surprise them. Tusk makes fun and explores current trends like podcasts and hipsters, but it does it with love. It feels authentic and like it’s one of those outcasts that seem really intelligent but can’t help their nihilistic tendencies.

This is another reason why the movie was not too liked by the audiences and critics. Granted, it is the first in Smith’s planned True North trilogy, with the next movie Yoga Hosers sucking big time. When you consider just how simple the premise of this movie was, it’s no wonder that it seems overstretched at times. However, it makes up for that with oddball charm and sheer oddity that needs to be witnessed. Especially if you’re looking for something new and exciting. Finally, I just wanted to drop the name of the third and final movie in the True North trilogy: Moose Jaws.

Director: Kevin Smith

Writer: Kevin Smith

Cast: Michael Parks, Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez, Haley Joel Osment, Johnny Depp

Fun Facts: Wallace’s ringtone is from the Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman podcast “Hollywood Babble-On.” The song is actually a fan-made song created using Garman’s impression of Al Pacino.

Rating:

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3099498/