Watch Tusk
- R
- 2014
- 1 hr 42 min
-
5.4 (65,193)
Tusk is a horror-comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It was released on September 19, 2014, and is about a podcaster, Wallace Bryton (played by Justin Long), who travels to Canada to interview a mysterious seafarer, but instead finds himself the victim of a crazy old sailor's twisted plan. The movie opens with Wallace and his co-host, Teddy Craft (played by Haley Joel Osment), filming their podcast, "The Not-See Party," in which they mock videos of people doing stupid things. Wallace decides to take a solo trip to Canada to interview the "Kill Bill Kid," who became famous after accidentally severing his leg with a samurai sword in a viral video.
After arriving in Canada, Wallace tracks down the "Kill Bill Kid" but finds out that he has committed suicide. Desperate to find a newsworthy story to take home, Wallace finds an interesting ad seeking a roommate in a remote area of Canada. The ad turns out to be posted by Howard Howe (played by Michael Parks), a retired seaman who has lost one of his legs and lives alone in a large house decorated with maritime artifacts.
During the podcast, Howe tells Wallace a story about a walrus that saved his life when he was stranded at sea, which seems to intrigue Wallace. The next morning, Wallace wakes up to find himself drugged and bound to a wheelchair. Howe then reveals his twisted plan to transform Wallace into a walrus by surgically and physically altering his body.
The rest of the film follows Wallace's horrifying ordeal, as he is slowly transformed into a walrus while Howe raves about his obsession with these creatures. Teddy and Wallace's girlfriend, Ally (played by Genesis Rodriguez), become concerned when Wallace doesn't return from his trip and go to Canada to find him. The detective on the case, Guy Lapointe (played by Johnny Depp), also arrives in Canada and starts investigating Howe.
As the movie progresses, Wallace's transformation becomes more and more complete, and Howe's madness becomes more apparent. The movie also delves into themes of obsession, mental illness, and the dangers of the internet.
The performances in Tusk are exceptional, especially Michael Parks as the demented Howard Howe. Justin Long's portrayal of a man slowly losing his humanity and becoming a walrus is both intense and chilling. Haley Joel Osment and Genesis Rodriguez also deliver excellent performances.
One of the unique features of Tusk is that it is based on a true story that Kevin Smith discovered on his podcast. He used the unusual and disturbing tale as a basis for his movie, which combines humor and horror in a way that only he could.
Overall, Tusk is a bizarre and disturbing horror-comedy that will stay with viewers long after the credits roll. It shows Kevin Smith's ability to push boundaries and create something truly original. If you're a fan of horror-comedies or just looking for something unique, it's definitely worth a watch.
Tusk is a 2014 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.4 and a MetaScore of 55.