If the name Kevin Smith doesn’t immediately make you think of offbeat comedies, you have been living under a rock for the past three decades or so. One of Hollywood’s most distinct voices, a filmmaker, writer, and actor, he’s built a career out of putting the mundane yet hilarious lives of everyday people on screen. Smith first showcased his directing chops with Clerks, a no-budget, black-and-white comedy that not only defined a generation of slacker humor but also renewed interest in raw, character-driven movies.
Over the years, Smith expanded his View Askewniverse with cult favorites like Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, sprinkling each of the movies with irreverent jokes and pop culture references. His religious satire, Dogma, is perhaps one of his most provocative movies of all time as it takes the fantasy elements and garnishes them with biting commentary.
Despite being known for his comedies, Kevin Smith has dipped his toes in the horror genre throughout his career and delivered a quartet of twisted tales. He brings his uniquely self-aware voice to a genre that thrives on tension and suspense. The transition is surprising, but it’s interesting how Smith never really abandons his humor and still manages to craft movies that unsettle viewers. The list ranks all four horror movies directed by Kevin Smith.
4
‘KillRoy Was Here’ (2022)
Kevin Smith’s KillRoy Was Here is a horror anthology that draws inspiration from the infamous “Kilroy Was Here” graffiti and transforms it into a supernatural force out to get revenge. The film is structured as a collection of eerie stories, such as a mother poisoning her daughter for multiple years to pull off a scam and benefit from it and a priest taking children out on a field trip only for the kids to find him smoking weed while driving.
All these stories are connected by the presence of KillRoy – a grotesque, skull-faced entity who punishes the wicked. Each segment introduces a new set of characters who, through their unfortunate circumstances or failures, end up summoning Killroy’s wrath.
A Chaotic Horror That Misfired
The movie plays with urban legend tropes, blends slasher horror and dark comedy, and ultimately creates a bunch of unsettling narratives that feel like campfire stories. The premise is intriguing, but ultimately, the film struggles with consistency. The horror elements are spread far and wide, sometimes leaning into graphic violence, other times coming off as absurd. The structure also makes it feel like a collection of carelessly put-together shorts rather than an anthology.
Smith’s direction is experimental but not always successful. He’s known for making dialogue-heavy, character-driven films, and with this one, he tries to inject the same signature style into horror, but the result is uneven. The film’s release as an NFT instead of a traditional theatrical or streaming debut raised questions as well, making it less accessible to fans.
Related
10 Funniest Slasher Movies of All Time
Just because it’s a scary movie doesn’t mean it can’t also bring the laughs.
3
‘Yoga Hosers’ (2016)
Yoga Hosers is a horror comedy that follows two teenage best friends, Colleen Collette (Lily-Rose Depp) and Colleen McKenzie (Harley Quinn Smith). They are just trying to get through their mundane lives while working at a convenience store in Canada and spending their free time practicing yoga. Things take a turn when they uncover an ancient Nazi experiment beneath their store in the form of one-foot-tall, bratwurst-shaped creatures called “Bratzis.” As the girls fight off these absurd little monsters, they realize they can’t do it alone, so they enlist the help of Guy Lapointe (Johnny Depp), a legendary man-hunter with an exaggerated Québécois accent.
Kevin Smith’s Polarazing Experiment
The movie is clearly not Smith’s most accomplished outing. It combines exaggerated humor, horror elements, and irreverence to fully embrace the director’s love for the absurd, but still fails to find its footing. The reliance on over-the-top humor is so heavy that it makes it difficult for audiences to take it seriously, even as a satire. The horror is minimal, with the Bratzis serving more as a gag than a genuine threat. The storyline is an inside joke stretched into a feature-length film, with the stereotypes and pop culture references dominating the dialogue.
Yoga Hosers does have moments of charm, particularly the chemistry between the two Colleens. But it’s ultimately a self-indulgent project. Smith directs with an unapologetic and gleeful delight, but it lacks the sharpness of his earlier works. Which is why the reception was mostly negative, with critics and audiences finding nothing to root for other than the oddball characters.
2
‘Tusk’ (2014)
Tusk is the first film in Kevin Smith’s True North trilogy, and it’s followed by 2016’s Yoga Hosers, with a third film titled Moose Jaws currently in development. Taking body horror to an extreme, this one centers around Wallace Bryton, a smug podcaster who travels to Canada in search of the next big story to feature on his show. But what he finds is more than he bargained for. He stumbles upon Howard Howe, a recluse with a haunting past. Wallace’s interview quickly spirals into a nightmare after he’s drugged and subjected to Howe’s twisted experiment – being surgically morphed into a walrus.
Equal Parts Disturbing and Fascinating
The film’s horror lies in its slow, methodical pace and deliberate descent into absurdity. Wallace’s humanity is stripped away piece by piece and his attempts to escape are met with cruel indifference, with all of it leading to a climax that is both tragic and terrifying. Which is to say Tusk thrives on causing discomfort to viewers. The body horror scenes are deeply unsettling, and the practical effects make Wallace’s transformation feel real.
Tusk also has a strange undertone of dark humor, which makes the viewing experience bizarre and unnerving. Michael Parks delivers an outstanding performance, embodying Howe’s eerie personality, and Justin Long’s helplessness as Wallace is very convincing. Smith’s contribution to the bold and unique premise was met with polarizing reviews. Some hailed the movie as a daring experiment in horror, while others found tonal inconsistencies. But for what it’s worth, Tusk is one of Kevin Smith’s most audacious horror films.
Related
10 Scariest International Horror Movies of All Time
Each compelling in its own frightening way, these spine-tingling movies will remind you that fear is universal.
1
‘Red State’ (2011)
Written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Michael Parks, John Goodman, Michael Angarano, Stephen Root, and Melissa Leo, Red State is set in Middle America and it tells the story of three teenage boys, Travis, Jarod, and Billy Ray, who receive an online invitation for sex and drive to meet a woman named Sarah, only to realize that they have been lured into the clutches of the Five Points Trinity Church, led by the conservative leader Abin Cooper.
What begins as an abduction horror plot quickly turns into a siege thriller when the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) gets involved and Agent Joseph Keenan sets up outside the church. After a confrontation with the cult results in chaos, the ATF orders Keenan to launch a raid on the church.
A Brutal Dive Into Extremism
Smith’s 2011 film is a departure from his usual comedic fare because it thrusts viewers into a harrowing premise that explores religious fanaticism and the dangers of unchecked extremism. It is firmly rooted in real-world concerns and draws inspiration from existing radical groups, with the direction turning the material into something urgent and relevant. The film’s erratic pacing and sudden tonal shifts stitch together the two acts, with the latter leaning into action-thriller territory and making it feel more authentic than the rest of the movies on the list.
Michael Park’s chilling central performance as Abin Cooper makes the second half audacious and unpredictable, and it’s worth all the praise. John Goodman, Melissa Leo and Kyle Gallner also contribute to the intensity. Additionally, Red State had an unconventional release strategy where it was self-distributed by Smith before being available on video-on-demand. It made the project intriguing but also limited its reach. Of course, Red State is not a flawless film, but it’s definitely Kevin Smith’s brutal, thought-provoking, and horrifying experiment, and it demonstrates his willingness to tackle darker subjects.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
