User reviews

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 :)

For fans of the comedic horror genre of Andy Warhol's Frankenstein and Dracula, and for the brave souls who enjoyed the sickening chills of The Human Centipede, comes Kevin Smith's entry into the twisted and freakish. Sometimes hilarious, occasionally mysterious, and often dramatically thrilling, this small gem is quite out of the ordinary, and not for everyone, but it contains a robust script with a near plausible mad scientist story. Definitely for the art film crowd who tend to lean towards the chillingly wierd.

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.

I watched when it first came out on DVD... Haven't watched since... bought the DVD... still in shrink wrap. This isn't to say I don't like the movie, but I don't know when I'm going to feel ready to 'attack that beast' again

It really opened up the important question - what WOULD you do if your partner were turned into a walrus?

SPOILER: Well what can I say, Tusk is a film of it's own. The premise of the film is Justin Long being turned into a patch- work walrus. It is a hit or miss film, you either love it or hate it.

Justin Longs acting in this film is great, but the film had a lot of jumping around and doesn't feel fluid with it's character arcs. It aims to be a dark comedy and I did find myself chuckling at some parts in the film, I equally found myself saying 'What am I watching' just as often. There isn't really much character development in the movie, but you do grow attached to Justin Longs character by the end of the film. The actual walrus when you see it is slightly disturbing.

I genuinely felt slightly upset at the end of the film, but I felt as though the film could have been written better. If there was a more fluid feel to the scenes, and more development on the characters then this film would be getting better ratings.

The overall story is original, the acting is great, but as a final product it feels very rushed and choppy. I enjoyed tusk and think that it is underrated and being played off as 'too weird'

Yes, it's a weird film but it's trying to be different and is a nice change of pace from most horror films these days. If you want a film that will make you genuinely say 'WTF' at the end, tusk is for you. If you're going into this film expecting a good horror film, you're going to be disappointed.

If there was an award for the worst conceived and more importantly manufactured movie of all time this would be at the utmost top of my list. I have seen other reviewers say that this one shows the depth of what happens when a pothead gets the ability to make his own movies, as an avid smoker of the greenery and a semi fan of Kevin Smith I take offense to this analogy. This is just a piece o' crap movie and weed shouldn't take the blame for it or the act of being a "pothead".

It really amazed me more that he convinced any legitimate actor to take part in the steaming pile of horse's anal relief. Justin Long doesn't knock them out of the park every time he takes on a role but how on god's great earth did he ever get talked into this, and I won't even try to figure out how the talk went that convinced Johnny Depp to get involved ... Do actors ever watch the crap they produce before its released, I would be truly embarrassed if I were even an extra in this piece of monkey spunk.

Lastly I have seen other reviews that compare this to The Human Centipede, I see how you can come to that comparison and I absolutely hated The Human Centipede, but its an Oscar winning movie in comparison to Tusk. As ridiculous as both concepts are for anything including a movie that's supposed to be somewhat entertaining, at least The Human Centipede tried to take itself somewhat seriously. Tusk try's to add levity to itself from time to time and fails at that as horribly as it does in turning a human into a walrus believably.

I didn't toss in a lot of the spoilers and specifics I would like to because I hate reading reviews that pick apart the details of a movie I haven't seen, and there are PLENTY of other reviews here that already have done that. If you want some specifics read those, most of the ones that give it a 1 star rating are spot on. I am also not writing this in hopes that someone curious to watch it will be deterred from doing so, mainly because I watched this piece of monkey spunk so so should you if your curious. This is my personal F*CK YOU letter to Kevin Smith and anyone involved in this crap-fest of a movie. You could have fed a starving village in Africa with the money you wasted on something that should have never been produced. I truly hope this movie damages your career.

Love, A former fan

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.

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."

This is a brutally gross film so I understand those that do not like it at all since it reminds them films like "Human Centipede." I have watched this film a few years back not really liking it and now feeling like it serves as one of those films you can't take too seriously but can't look away from because it too bizarre.

Justin Long stars as Wallace, the main protagonist, along with Haley Joel Osmont as Teddy, two friends who run a podcast making fun of others for fun and money. Due to their many misadventures Wallace goes to Canada to find material for one of his bits for his podcast only to comes up empty handed. That is until Wallace reads Michael Parks's letter on a bathroom wall looking for a lodging partner which takes us into what becomes of Justin Long.

Michael Parks does a good job playing the "crazy old man with an obsession", pretty much the only things that stands out in this film. Kevin Smith does a good job of taking a strange part of his life and making it rather sick. The movie reminds you of "The Fly" in that it transforms someone from one level of a human being to the extreme.It isn't horror movie I'd love for the ages but once in a while if you want to fill that nasty, putrid part of your life then I guess this is the movie for it.

**SPOILER** ending leaves wondering how is Wallace still alive?! He would of died of infection either that or god take him out of his misery.

Between this and Red State, Smith really doesn't seem to have any idea of how to mix comedy and horror well together. All he knows how to do is make one half of each film horror and the other half comedy without successfully finding a balance. Tusk's first half is better than all of Red State, but that second half is just... wow. Depp usually annoys me and this was no exception. Parks was very good but ultimately one can't rise above this sort of material. Oh sure, much of the first half was effective and so I'm giving it points for that, but wow as it goes on. Nonsensical dialogue that doesn't work and preposterous scenes that aren't amusing or funny.

I made an imdb account just to make this. This is the worst movie I've ever seen. I have no words to describe it. Every concept shown in this film is a joke, not the funny kind. I'm not just rating this because it was disturbing, I love horror films. This just happened to be the worst one I've ever seen. This was tasteless and boring all the way through. The randomness from the beginning had nothing to do with walruses. I feel like the whole "not-see party" concept was only used for that one phone call the girl made. It wasn't even a good offensive joke it was just weird and wrong. In conclusion this whole movie was a hot mess.

I had given up hope of ever seeing a Kevin Smith movie that didn't annoy me. Thus, I didn't see this until quite recently, on the suggestion of reliable movie nerds. And I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised.

I have seen movies with a similar premise; a person is trapped with a lunatic (Creep, and Misery, for example), or persons in the same situation (The Human Centipede, and Split), but unlike those movies, this one does things right. It keeps the perfect balance between humor, drama, and horror. And unlike most movies in this genre, the focus is not on the gore and sadism (like the Human Centipede). Instead we have a villain that I could not help but feel for, in-between the utter insanity of Michael Parks' character.

As for the actors, I have never been a fan of Justin Long (which was another reason why I didn't want to see this movie), but he did a very good job! And Michael Parks is absolutely brilliant. Without his performance the movie would not have been half as good. Haley Joel Osment and Genesis Rodriguez are giving very convincing performances. In fact, the only actor that I didn't like was Johnny Depp, who seemed to under the impression that this was one of Smith's adolescent comedies (and Smith clearly didn't correct him). In fact, had Johnny Depp not brought the movie down with his ridiculous overacting, I may have pushed the rating up a star. It was almost embarrassing to see him try to perform whatever he was doing, and whatever it was it was far from convincing, and honestly, I think the character does very little for the story. He only tells the audience what we had already figured out, or didn't need to know.

So give it a chance. It certainly is not as bad as so many here have claimed.

This is a very strange film. It combines absurdism and realism within the world of the film, and does so almost cohesively. The pacing is kind of jarring, but it adds to the strange feeling this film gives you. It's interesting to see such incredible acting in service of such an odd script. I truly believe and understand the characters, for a moment, but then everything crumbles. It crumbles right before your eyes, and the movie takes on a completely new shape, becomes a wholly new animal. The only thing that remains throughout is the very bizarre and deeply twisted sense of humor baked into the world's very foundation. It's so, so strange. I love strange films. I'm not sure if I love this film, but I did find it extremely fascinating, and I'd argue that's more important.

However, the jumbled pacing is a significant problem, and the film loses its steam in the final stretches, sort of rushing to an end that didn't feel terribly climactic due to the directing. At least that's the feeling I had, and it left me unsatisfied.

But, again, this film was truly strange, and that is, to me, the greatest thing a film can be. Therefore, I believe this film is a success.

What can I say except it was a vast disappointment and that seems like an understatement. It starts out great and really draws you in. The characters are good and enjoyable. Then the second half of the movie reveals what's in store and I lost all interest in the movie. I stuck it out against my better judgment only to eventually question my judgment.

You can read the plot line and the other reviews and get an idea what the movie was about so I'm not going to go on about it. One reviewer said it best when he compared this to Human Centipede. Don't say you were not warned.

Being from Bifrost Manitoba myself, the accents make no sense.. we sound nothing like them. That aside, this movie is so different and unique in it's own way. It creeped me out big time! Also some weird comedy included

I went into "Tusk" with some worry and reservation.

I consider myself a fairly big Kevin Smith fan. Particularly admiring his films "Chasing Amy", "Dogma" and "Red State." And I think the (fairly recent) "backlash" against Smith is unwarranted for the most part. His films have always been unique and had a flavor all their own. And the man himself has always been open, candid and participatory with his fanbase. (Heck, this film's production was decided by his Twitter followers.) I just don't see why, in the past year or so, an increasingly vocal portion of the internet has turned against him.

But I wasn't sure what to make of this new film. Knowing it was inspired by an episode of his podcast left me worried it would be one-note. Knowing it was his first real foray into the world of "body horror" (a sub-genre that is incredible when done well, but laughable when done poorly) left me worried it might not quite work. And knowing full-well of its ludicrous premise left me worried it would either be too restrained or go way too far. I was worried this might be the first Smith film that I just couldn't get behind or even like. (And yeah, I even kinda dug "Jersey Girl", albeit admitting it was flawed.)

But boy, was I wrong. While it's definitely far from perfect, and far from being his best work, "Tusk" represents a bizarre, hellish and hilarious thrill-ride that left me constantly gasping and laughing. It's a terrifying fun-house ride and a twisted clown show that should please Smith fans and horror/comedy audiences looking for their fix of "weird."

Justin Long stars as Wallace Bryton, an American pod-caster who savagely makes fun of people in popular viral videos with his co-host. (Haley Joel Osment) When his trip to Canada goes wrong, and he discovers the subject of an interview he had scheduled has passed away, he attempts to salvage the journey by finding someone new to talk to for the show. He stumbles upon an open letter from "Howard Howe" (Michael Parks), a reclusive old man seeking someone to share his lifetime's worth of stories with.

However, Wallace soon discovers Howe has an ulterior motive. Obsessed with a hatred of humanity and an idolization of a wild walrus he had "befriended" while at sea, Howe wishes to use surgical means to transform Wallace into the animal friend he had known years ago. As Howe slowly begins to alter Wallace's body into a grotesque new form (while mentally conditioning him to embrace his wild side), Wallace's girlfriend Ally (Genesis Rodriguez) begins a desperate struggle to find Wallace and save him from his demented captor.

The acting is excellent all around, but Parks steals the show. Howe is equally charming, amusing and perfectly over- the-top, while also still able to be threatening. As weird as it is to say, I could see Parks winning some major awards for the role. Long is fantastic as Wallace. Though undeniably unlikeable, you still feel for him, and get a sense that beneath his cruel exterior, there's a fragile soul. And his role as the "transforming" Wallace/Walrus is just a hoot to watch. Rodriguez and Osment ground the film perfectly, giving wonderful weight to their smaller roles.

The only actor I cannot really comment on is the well-known and even mythical guest-star who shall go unnamed, to save the surprise. But what I can say is that this guest-role will definitely leave audiences polarized, as it's VERY "out there." But I felt that, within the context of the film, it worked. The movie is quite zany on its own during the second half, and I think this character did a good job "ushering in" the audience to the film's true craziness when he showed up. And he supplied PLENTY of laughs.

Smith's work on the film is an undeniable sign of growth as a storyteller. His script is tight, concise and full of great moments of shock and hilarity. And I found this to be by far his most visually striking work. Smith often used to sort-of belittle his own skills as a director and visual storyteller. (In part because his first film films were basic and simple in their execution) But this film is slick, stylish and wickedly shot. His guidance of the camera and performances is expert, and the senses of dread and humor he builds are wonderful.

However, this is definitely a film of some flaws, which is where it loses some points. The film has some "fat" to be trimmed. (Or would that be "blubber" in this case?) A few sequences feel too drawn out, which creates a somewhat inconsistent pacing that makes it feel jarring at times. I also felt that the (rather radical) tonal shift that occurs midway through could give some viewers a sense of "stylistic whip-lash." And it could be argued that the movie is a bit clustered in it's final half-hour, attempting to juggled a variety of emotions including fear, dread, sorrow, bemusement and amusement. It's almost too hard to concentrate and be mindful of how the film makes you feel, which is a pretty big problem.

That being said, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't completely absorbed in the movie from start-to-finish. And I most certainly will admit that I completely and utterly enjoyed myself. (And was quite shocked by just how darkly hilarious the film was, even at its bleakest moments.) It's not a film for everyone. And I can understand the polarized reaction. But for me (as a Smith fan, a fan of horror, and a fan of "the weird" and "strange") this was definitely worth seeing. And I will be buying it the second it's out on Blu-Ray.

I give "Tusk" a pretty-good 7 out of 10. Not for everyone. But if you're even remotely curious, it's well worth giving a shot.

I got to admit, during the start of this movie. It seemed like it would be a at least an entertaining ride with bizarre elements. In another words, by the starting few minutes I thought this movie would be a treat. However after the first few minutes, the movie really started to plummet. The movie is like "The Human Centipede" except without the shock factor, nor is it suspenseful or scary. I am not sure if the movie is trying to be funny with some goofy scenes, but it isn't funny either. The movie isn't super awful, but it just seemed like the movie was done as a joke. Or it's just a movie made with the thought of putting Smith and Depp's daughters in it. The protagonist is a bit of a jerk, but I have seen worse, however is not in par with Kevin Smith when it comes to the level of being an asshole.

4.6/10

"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).