So isn't it nice when something innovative comes to the genre? The Cabin In The Woods was a glorious treat, while You're Next was similarly terrific. I wanna say Tusk joins those two in becoming successful modern day horror features, but it really isn't a horror movie. No, Tusk belongs to it's own genre where pure insanity reigns supreme. The movie is centered around one of the more insane concepts I've heard (a man named Wallace, played by Justin Long, is trapped by a demented old fellow named Howard Howe, played by Michael Parks who intends to turn Wallace into a walrus) and just goes and goes. It's beautiful to witness I can assure you.
Kevin Smith is the sole human being responsible for the writing and directing here, and he excels on both counts. Now, before I get to the praise, I do need to note that the film has a few extraneous moments that feel like they're just there to make sure some more R-rated humor is in the film. Those are tolerable enough, but one scene involving a detectives past encounter with Howard goes on for far too long. The film is so damn good that the scene sticks out like a sore thumb in terms of pacing, but it does still stand out for that regard.
With that out of the way, let me just start praising this thing to high heaven. Le'ts start with this; good god are the suspenseful scenes handled terrifically. Whenever Wallace attempts to make a call on his cell phone while captured, knowing Howard is somewhere within the darkness, it's beautifully filmed. The scene alternates tight shots that just emphasize the tension of the scenario, while also cutting to wider shots that reinforce Wallace's solitary situation. And then whenever Howard inevitable pops up, it's not played as a jump scare; it's much much more tactfully handled. Masterful to watch I tell ya,
But that's not where the scares really come from. No spoilers here, I promise to always adhere to that, However I am gonna say that there are some horrifying images later into the film that get much of their impact in the casual way they're utilized in the story. They don't rely on gratuitous blood, but instead juxtaposing the terrifying with casual, even excited responses from witnesses. It helps that Parks is just perfect for the role here, a part that shouldn't work at all. Here's an elderly man who barks out "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" as a way of intimidating his prisoner, yet has commanding presence when speaking of past encounters with Ernest Hemingway.
Justin Long makes for a fine counterpart to Parks in initial scenes where the two just talk. I wasn't too sure about Long's character at first, with his overly douchey personality just rubbing me the wrong way. Luckily, Smith makes the smart decision to not make this a story of redemption, but one of bizarre tragedy, making his earlier actions in the film much easier to swallow. There's few people in the supporting cast (which includes a surprisingly effective Haley Joel Osment) do their parts well, especially towards the end where they become more involved in the insanity the film is built on. Not everyone is gonna like Tusk, and I totally get it. But I was in awe of the ever escalating absurdity the movie offers, and even more impressed with how it never collapses on itself. On the contrary, like Smiths past film Zack and Miri Make A Porno, there's an unexpectedly emotional ending here that perfectly caps off a preposterous and enjoyable movie.
Also, I love that this movie is the 200th article on this website! Excelsior for many more to come!
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