Tusk on point, a bona fide mindbender

Have you ever wondered if “man is indeed a walrus at heart?” Director Kevin Smith explores this existential dilemma in his latest film, Tusk, complete with Justin Long sparring with Michael Parks wearing a walrus suit.

The film stars Long as Wallace Bryton, a man who goes to Manitoba, Canada in search of the perfect interview subject for his podcast. On his quest, he stumbles upon walrus-obsessed Howard Howe, played by Parks. After being drugged by Parks, Long wakes up to find his left leg amputated. Eventually, Long is fully transformed into a walrus, marking the film’s sharp turn to the absurd.

Smith, known for his comedies like Clerks and Mallrats, took a huge step outside his usual repertoire by attempting to make a horror film. From the film’s beginning, it was clear that this was not his typical stoner movie. I was enticed by the first couple of scenes: the crystal-clear picture, the great camera work, and the successful humor made me believe Tusk was to become Smith’s most impressive movie.

The script contained a collection of jokes poking fun at Canadians that Smith had clearly been harboring for decades. One of the most memorable lines is Long  whispering, “I don’t want to die in Canada.”

The first half of the movie was a perfect balance of chilling horror and entertaining comedy. Neither genre diluted or compromised the other. The comical scenes were upbeat and saturated with vivid colors, while the eerie grays and browns distinguished the horror scenes.

While the horror aspect of this film may be discouraging to a comedy fan, Parks’ character is the only real horror. With the crazy look in his eyes, disheveled white hair, and his extravagant three piece suits, he embodies absolute creepiness—not to mention the bloody sewing needles, walrus diagrams, and his incessant mocking of Long. Parks’ performance was chilling, but so laced with a comedic vibe that it was a win-­win.

By the time the movie had finished, I felt like I had been forced to sit through a weird Joseph Beuys fetish performance art piece. Smith’s unique undertaking, though absurd, was a comical exploration of a fundamental quandary in Canadian society. “The walrus is far more evolved than any man I’ve ever known,” Parks contends, leaving the audience to decide whether we’d all be better off as large, tusked, sea mammals, eh?