"Is man, indeed, a walrus at heart?"
On the surface, this question seems silly — much like the film in which it is asked. During its development, writer-director Kevin Smith's "Tusk" sounded like a lark — especially considering the story originated on an episode of "SModcast," in which Smith and producing partner Scott Mosier came across a fake ad on Gumtree requesting a roommate to dress up as a walrus in exchange for free lodging. During Smith and Mosier's giggly conversation, they ended up constructing a story based on the ad. Little did we know they were laying the groundwork for a horror film of the highest order.
The plot of "Tusk" moves in the same direction, opening with two similarly boisterous podcasters and descending into horrific midnight-movie madness. The film stumbles when it looks for levity amid the darkness.
"Tusk" follows Wallace Bryton (Justin Long), a young snark-slinger who interviews viral video-worthy weirdos and pokes fun at them with his co-host, Teddy (Haley Joel Osment). After an interview in Canada goes awry, Wallace stumbles upon a handbill from a retired, wheelchair-bound seaman, offering a room in his rambling mansion — and stories of his seafaring adventures.
Little does Wallace know this man, Howard Howe (Michael Parks), aims to physically transform him into one of the saviors from his dangerous days at sea — a walrus.
The surprise of what follows lies in how Smith presents it — not in Wallace's sardonic style but with the same eerie elegance as Mr. Howe. Smith and his two leads take their tongues out of their cheeks, transforming a schlocky concept into a harrowing abduction drama.
The film emerges as a gripping work of grotesque art in Howe's dungeon, where Wallace lies, stripped of his humanity, floundering like one of the sea creatures flickering on a screen behind him. In this surreal, simulated beach setting, "Tusk" creates pathos with what could have been a basement torture/body-horror parody. The film falters when it strays from this setting. Like snide podcaster Wallace, it suffers when it leans toward irreverence and searches for humor behind horror. (Johnny Depp's comic cameo as an Inspector Clouseau-esque detective hot on Howe's trail nearly ruins the movie.)
Wallace is not far from the comic-book nerds and immature mallrats in Smith's earlier films, but his sort of lewd man-child nature does not work as a tone for "Tusk"; it better serves as a springboard for richer, more mature material — an exploration of the wild side of man, questioning whether he is a beast at his core. The jokes fall flat yet the moody atmosphere — and existential questions lurking within it — haunt us. Maybe Smith is a horror director at heart.
Special features on the Blu-ray include a thoughtful commentary track with Smith, the episode of SModcast that inspired the film and a behind-the-scenes documentary called "20 Years to 'Tusk.' " That title summarizes my one beef with Smith — he can't seem to talk about a new film without celebrating his time in the career that preceded it. Then again, this film warrants pride: It marks a dramatic change of course on which I hope Smith continues.
Film: 4 Yaps Extras: 3.5 Yaps
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCQJnOn0ru0&w=560&h=315]