Tusk (2014)

Foundas calls the film a bizarre, compelling surprise and ranks it among Kevin Smith’s best work. He especially praises Michael Parks’ performance, while also noting Justin Long’s demanding, emotionally affecting role.

Kohn finds the film kooky and entertaining despite its uneven execution and rushed climax. He praises the grotesque makeup effects and the film’s willingness to take its absurd premise to unsettling extremes.

Barnes presents the film as a successful return to form for Kevin Smith. He particularly praises Smith’s renewed snarky edge.

The critic finds the film deeply weird and often funny, saying it should please Kevin Smith devotees and some schlock-horror fans. Michael Parks’s commanding performance is singled out for praise, though the film loses momentum when its focus shifts to the manhunt.

Sexton finds the film energetic and daftly appealing, though its late shift from horror to broad comedy weakens it. He singles out Michael Parks’s compelling performance as the sinister Howard Howe for particular praise.

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Rothkopf gives Kevin Smith’s film a qualified verdict. The available description praises Smith’s good-natured, motormouth persona.

Ebiri finds Tusk not particularly good, despite its unusually personal core. He praises the unsettling anxiety of Wallace losing his voice, while faulting the film’s meandering rescue plot and comic tangents.

Gonzalez finds the film a grotesquely self-indulgent, one-joke comedy that mistakes flippancy for wit. He praises its attractive cinematography and Michael Parks’s committed performance, but faults its humor and Johnny Depp cameo.

The critic calls the film a gross tonal misfire that undermines its horror with weak tension, scattershot humor, and an unsympathetic hero. They single out the use of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk” as audacious and perfect.

The critic considers Tusk an unpleasant cinematic dare rather than a successful film. He objects to its provocation and finds little beyond the audacious premise to recommend.

The reviewers find Tusk a bizarre, sharply executed dark comedy-horror and one of Kevin Smith’s strongest recent films. They praise Michael Parks’s fiery performance and the film’s grotesque walrus transformation, while noting that its broad jokes and distracting subplot sometimes falter.

The critic finds Tusk a twisted, entertaining return to form, despite losing focus in its second act. They praise Kevin Smith’s restraint, which lets the humor stay witty and the horror genuinely creepy.

Meek finds Tusk a strange but rewarding return to form, though its different elements do not always cohere. He praises Michael Parks’s performance and the film’s special effects and makeup.

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Crow finds the film bizarrely ambitious and personal, but says its central walrus gag overwhelms a better story. He praises Johnny Depp’s comic performance as the film’s highlight.

The critic finds the film ambitious but ultimately messy, with a major mid-film detour undermining its tension. The review praises the lead performances, especially Michael Parks, along with the dialogue and score.

Goldberg finds the film’s promising horror dragged down by Kevin Smith’s self-parodic writing and weak cinematic storytelling. He praises Michael Parks’s sinister performance, but says Johnny Depp’s caricatured role and the film’s ridiculous culmination undercut its impact.

The critic finds the film an unsatisfying mishmash, with neither its horror nor comedy working. They single out the overlong Michael Parks scenes and the painfully labored LaPointe comedy for particular criticism.