MovieChat Forums > Tusk (2014) Discussion > Depp killed this movie

Depp killed this movie

posted 10 years ago by fmagic2
110 replies | jump to latest

It's been a while since I've seen a film sabotage itself this badly. I think Smith must have a fear of success. For the first hour he seems to be trying to prove to his critics that he's a legitimate filmmaker, working hard to show he can take a ridiculous concept and make it credible. His script starts off with what seems to be a sincere effort to keep things from being overly silly and stupid, balancing the humor and absurdity with actual drama and genuinely unsettling horror. Michael Parks is amazing as he transforms onscreen from an enigmatic oddball into a legitimately frightening lunatic with a unique backstory, all the while gleefully spouting creatively deranged dialogue. The acting, the directing and cinematography, even the orchestrated 'Tusk' drum beat in the soundtrack, are all effective at building suspense. I was really getting into the film.

And then, suddenly, just as the story starts to get really interesting and the horror and suspense are reaching surreal levels, BANG! Depp appears out of nowhere playing Inspector Clouseau's retarded brother and the whole thing turns into a campy screwball comedy. Seriously, wtf? I get that Depp is a huge star and Smith was probably reluctant to tell him that his performance was all wrong, but it's almost as if Smith decided that since he couldn't change what Depp was doing, he might as well change the rest of the movie to match. So the camerawork changes and we start getting all kinds of campy gimmicks like Tarantino quick-zooms, the music changes from dramatic drums to accordians and Fleetwood Mac songs, and even Michael Parks, who up until that point has been carrying the film with his amazingly sinister performance, suddenly becomes comic relief as Smith pits him against Depp in a bizarre and unfunny battle of the screwballs. By the time the idiotic ending comes along, the film has managed to piss away everything it achieved during the first hour. Really unbelievable.

[–] Cpt_JackSparrow 10 years ago

Disagree, last time I saw JD stretch his comedy muscle was on POTC. Nice to see him in a semi-low budget movie that is a non block buster hit showing his comedic side.

He still brought a brand new character that has never been seen before in Depp to the screen.

He is still an amazing actor though many may find him burned out. I still believe he has a lot to offer.

[–] snes4u 10 years ago

I never thought Depp was particularly talented. He is a bit like that uncle who is good at one impression (and not much else).

Smith ruined what could have been a remarkable horror film. Depp was his main instrument in the destruction. The confusion of horror and horror-spoof is unforgivable, I feel. Smith is old. He should know better. Should have:
1. Given the script to a script doctor (or two)
2. Relegated Depp to the role allotted his daughter
3. Given the director's chair to ___? Boyle?

Smith's Vulgar was good. His Silent Bob films were good.

[–] pcf9909 10 years ago

Other than lending his name too it so his high school friends could get someone to put up the money. Kevin Smith had nothing to do with Vulgar.

[–] Sauvage_98 10 years ago

I never thought Depp was particularly talented.

That's because you don't know what talent is you talentless nobody.

He would not have lasted in the movie industry for 30 years if he wasn't "particularly" talented, he would not have been nominated for the Oscar and won prestigious awards such as the Golden Globe, SAG award and caesar and other 54 awards if he wasn't "particularly" talented.

He is a bit like that uncle who is good at one impression (and not much else).

Is he? He is one of the most versatile actors of all the time. He's done everything.

Go watch Edward Scissorhands, Benny & Joon, Ed Wood, Dead man, Donnie brasco, Sleepy Hollow, Blow, Finding Neverland, The Libertine, Secret Window and Sweeney Todd, etc and then come back to me.

~Never Forget. Never Forgive."

[–] jeanny86 10 years ago

I love it how every time someone disses Johnny there's 10 other people telling them to shut the .. up :)
I absolutely agree with you here, I really don't get it when people say he always does the same act. I think it's because all they ever saw was Pirates of Caribbean 1-4, where in fact every single character he ever did is completely different from another, to the point that I sometimes think he suffers from multiple personality disorder ;)
I would also add Public Enemies, Ninth Gate and Fear and Loathing to your list :)

[–] marktarnovetsky 9 years ago

johnny depp doesn't have a shred of acting talent. sorry to dial in the reality there kiddo.

[–] TerminalMan 10 years ago

So, the REST of the movie about a guy being turned into a walrus was credible, but an over-the-top character was just too ridiculous...? Okay, if you can suspend disbelief for everything except that: you are an idiot. That isn't just missing the point of the movie, it's not understanding the concept of movies in general.

[–] randyhndrsn 10 years ago

Well to be fair, a lot seem to think one was executed better than the other, not that it wasn't credible within the film's logic.

Good filmmaking turned sloppy fast in that portion, scenes go on way too long and certain cutaways are pointless.

[–] biggusdickus-1 9 years ago

Yep. I won't say Depp ruined the movie, but Guy wws such an obnoxiously exaggerated caricature next to the all thhe "realistic" performances in the movie that he bounced me out of the story every time he opened his mouth.

For contrast, Michael Parks plays one of the most preposterously unrealistic characters in movie histtory, yet he exercises such phenomenal control of his craft that Howell actually seemed real and multilayered, even sympathetic.

LaPointe, who must've seemed like the dramatic and grounded counterpoint by comparison in the script, winds up buried in so much silly hey-look-at-me-I'm-a-famous-guy-in-disguise shtick that the character barely has even one dimension on screen.

Smith ultimatelyy holds responsibility for what ends up onscreen, so I can't blame Johnny Depp for anything. Maybe Smith liked the performance, maybe even coached Depp to play it that way. And annoying as it was, the movie managed to survive it.

Nontheless, the weakest element in this otherwise-okay movie is Depp's lazy self-satisfied clowning as the detective.

peace
--Big Gus

[–] fmagic2 10 years ago

lol, the insecure overreaction from you Smith fanboys is more disturbing than the movie itself.

I said the filmmaking was credible in the first half. Hate to break it to you, but the plots to 99% of horror movies are ridiculous. Smith isn't doing something original or profound in that regard, whether he calls it 'horror' or 'satire' or whatever. Just because a movie has a ridiculous plot doesn't mean it can't be written and filmed credibly, which is what allows the audience to suspend disbelief in the first place. It's when a film goes amateur hour like this one does in the third act that suspension of disbelief is lost and the audience starts rolling their eyes and checking their texts.

[–] dazednconfuuzed8 10 years ago

I agree with you in so much as the first hour was much better then the second, and that it delved into seriously ridiculous territory in the last part..... Although I agree Depp's performance was over the top, it was still nice to see him in something like this, and there were a couple of moments where his character wasn't so bad. I think what really *beep* this movie up for me was the early reveal of Wallace's ultimate fate.. It was going so good, and I thought maybe the guy was gunna drag it out a lil longer and then boom! there he is all walrus'd up. Above anything else in this movie that disappointed me though, the worst is the ending.. I just couldn't *beep* believe the ending.. kill that poor guy! Why on earth would you make him live out the rest of his GD life as a human-walrus!?

[–] Sauvage_98 10 years ago

So, the REST of the movie about a guy being turned into a walrus was credible, but an over-the-top character was just too ridiculous...? Okay, if you can suspend disbelief for everything except that: you are an idiot. That isn't just missing the point of the movie, it's not understanding the concept of movies in general.

I know right? LOL @ OP.

~Never Forget. Never Forgive."

[–] sean-plourde 10 years ago

Any idiot who didn't think this was a great movie should shut the hell up and appreciate it for what it was. Depp's performance is fantastic. As is Justin Long's. And Mr. Parks does a great job. I agree that the tone changes overall, but I don't think it was to fit Johnny Depps performance. As director Kevin Smith had a vision and he created it. I doubt he would have been afraid to tell Johnny to pull his performance back. I think the performance Johnny Depp provided made the movie all the better. This movie was never meant to be a serious horror flick. Though it did provide a great set up for a serious horror film. Seriously though where the *beep* do you take a story about a guy who wants to turn a people into a Walrus and make it anything but *beep* disturbing. The touch of humor, Johnny Depp's character along with Justin Long's performance make this a fantastic movie.

[–] Sauvage_98 10 years ago

Agreed.

~Never Forget. Never Forgive."

[–] marktarnovetsky 10 years ago

"Depp's performance is fantastic."

are you smoking glue?

[–] hafaball-1 10 years ago

I really agree. I actually had to skip the Parks vs. Depp scene because it was pretty painful (which is a shame since it could have been the best scene). The tone was building throughout, and I was glad Smith went right to Long meeting Parks, but then it hit me, it's only been like 15 minutes, or so, what could fill the time? Sadly it was Depp's performance.

I wouldn't say it was so terrible it ruined the movie for me, but it just seemed endless. At least 25 minutes it devoted for Depp to ham it up, which is cute at first, but becomes very annoying, especially since Ralph Garman only gets like 3 minutes!

What the film needed, and was succeeding at, was snippets of humor. When Ali is talking to the cops and she says her boyfriend is part of the Not-See party and Osment yells "Spell it! Spell it!" I couldn't stop laughing, it was perfect. But then the random scene with Harley and Depp's daughter in the flashback using the combs as mustaches? Again, out of place and goes on too long. It achieved nothing other than Long's character is a jerk, and they saw and remember him.

Maybe the Zombie Moose movie up next will fix these mistakes.

They call him the matador;He settles all the scores;He kills in plain sight;With a blade and a smile

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] abbycatt 10 years ago

That was Johnny Depp????? Holy crap! I went into this movie blind - only reading the basic plot. I had no clue that was Johnny Depp!!! Wow.

That being said, I fully agree with your review here. I was watching it and actually getting into the insanity when the inspector came in. I actually said that it was like Smith was trying to clone Clouseau for this movie! Except Clouseau was funny. I couldn't tell if that character was supposed to funny, or was just played really badly. Either way, this killed the movie for me. This film was seriously WEIRD! But it was working for me.....until Depp's character. :-(

[–] cuttinham-102-295111 10 years ago

I agree completely. It was over-the-top and Depp's acting is just plain bad. I wanted to dislike this movie, ended up liking it, then Depp showed up and it went out the window.

[–] Sauvage_98 10 years ago

You know nothing about acting if you think that was bad acting.

~Never Forget. Never Forgive."

[–] marktarnovetsky 10 years ago

Depp.that's you? go back to working at Burger King.

[–] jonnnk 9 years ago

It was bad acting, It was bad make-up, It was bad wardrobe. It was a bad scene that went 10 minutes longer than it needed to.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] CHaSE-Just 10 years ago

The acting was good, it's just that the character was completely out of sync with the first half of the movie. So it's not so much that Depp killed this movie, as his character did, ergo Smith himself killed it (and not in a good way).