Kevin Smith has proven to have staying power in the world of film-making whether his films reach large audiences or not. However, one of his least-discussed films came about during a period of his career most movie-goers would consider a “slump,” but Tusk itself would suggest that it certainly wasn’t a creative slump. Holding just a 46% Critics Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes – and an even worse 36% audience score – Tusk is one of Smith’s lower-rated outings.
Regardless, Tusk offers a genuinely fascinating look into the work of a primarily comic director entering an entirely new genre, and it should be viewed as a success as far as creativity goes. While there are a few very jarring elements included in the film, it still holds up far better a decade after its release than it did for audiences in 2014. Becoming something of a cult favorite ten years later, Tusk remains an underappreciated film by a director who appreciates the nuances of film far more than a corner of the general audience gives him credit.
RT has got itself stuck with the Rotten/Fresh schtick and it is too easily gamed. IMDb’s is more useful as a guide but, if a film sounds interesting, I’ll give it a shot and make my own mind up as there may be some redeeming feature that wins me round that might not necessarily work for other people.