More people will go see ‘The Maze Runner’ but I’d rather talk about ‘Tusk’

If four Hunger Games films (the third one opens this November) and three Divergent films aren’t enough to satisfy your thirst for young adult, post-apocalyptic dramas, then the first of four planned Maze Runner movies is meant for you.

Its premise should sound familiar: A couple dozen teenagers find themselves completely isolated in some unknown place and have to fend for themselves. In the case of “The Maze Runner,” they’re forced to live in an undeveloped, open valley encircled by an enormous wall.

Each morning, the wall opens to reveal a giant maze and each night, the wall closes. Being stuck in the outside maze overnight means certain death because the maze houses giant mechanical spiders who kill all overnight intruders.

When our hero, Thomas, decides to break all the rules and risk his life to find out who and what is behind the Maze, he becomes the male version of Jennifer Lawrence’s character in “The Hunger Games” and Shailene Woodley’s in “Divergent.”

Although each of these three franchises have slightly different backstories, in each case adults are behind the scenes, manipulating a gaggle of teenagers. (Donald Sutherland, Glenn Close, and Patricia Clarkson are all versions of the same character.)

There may still be an appetite for this sort of teenage dystopia but I’m stuffed for the moment.

What I’d rather talk about is a movie that breaks the bounds of decency: “Tusk.” It’s Kevin Smith’s latest movie and it’s a comic horrowshow.

Here’s the premise: A jerk of a podcaster travels to Canada to interview an old man who promises outrageous stories. The crazy old man ends up kidnapping the podcaster and starts transforming him into his favorite animal.

(Hint: It has tusks.)

“Tusk” is disturbing and outrageous and ridiculous and sometimes even boring, but I can guarantee you won’t ever forget it, and that’s a huge plus in my book.

Others may have the opposite reaction, namely unadulterated regret. Why? Because once you see this, you can never un-see it. But I say, what a thing to see – sad and preposterous in equal measure.

It’s worth noting that the film’s most unnerving imagery is neither gory gross-out nor vulgar torture-porn. At its heart, it’s a movie about what it means to be human.

It’s a metaphorically justifiable stunner, a jaw-dropper that makes you laugh and gasp simultaneously.

I’m being purposefully vague here because I’m convinced the less you know, the more effective the experience. Word is going to leak out almost immediately, so the sooner you can make it to a theater, the better. As long as you keep the context of the movie in mind – this is schlocky, B-movie material through and through – you should have a shocking good time. Or not.