The Mask/Son of the Mask
THE MASK (PG)
D: Chuck Russell
New Line/Dark Horse (Bob Engleman)
US 1994
101 mins
Adventure/Fantasy/Comedy
W: Mike Werb [based on characters appearing in Dark Horse
comics]
DP: John R. Leonetti
Ed: Arthur Coburn
Mus: Randy Edelman
Jim Carrey (Stanley Ipkiss / The Mask), Cameron Diaz (Tina
Carlyle), Peter Greene (Dorian Tyrell), Peter Riegert (Lt. Mitch Kellaway), Amy Yasbeck (Peggy Brandt)
1994 saw the career of Jim Carrey go from zero to hero;
the rubber-faced comedian scoring massive box office hits with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (qv) before The Mask became a huge summer smash.
He plays a goofy, wimpish bank clerk who discovers an
ancient mask which has the power to turn him into a mischievious superhero. The film perfectly captures a comic-book look and utilises some excellent visual effects which combine live action
with brilliant cartoon animation. Rumbunctious fun for kids and plenty for adults to enjoy too.
The film also offered a debut performance from Cameron
Diaz, who literally bursts into the spotlight.
A sequel followed in 2003 (Son Of The Mask), but is best
avoided.
7/10
SON OF THE MASK (PG)
D: Lawrence Guterman
New Line/Dark Horse (Erica Huggins & Scott
Kroopf)
US 2005
87 mins
Comedy/Fantasy
W: Lance Khazei [based on characters from Dark Horse
comics]
DP: Greg Gardiner
Ed: Malcolm Campbell, John Coniglio & Debra
Neil-Fisher
Mus: Randy Edelman
Jamie Kennedy (Tim Avery), Alan Cumming (Loki), Traylor Howard
(Tonya Avery), Steven Wright (Daniel Moss), Kal Penn (Jorge), Bob Hoskins (Odin)
A
sequel nobody wanted, needed, asked for and 11 years too late.
The first movie made a star out of Jim Carrey and had some
impressive cartoon visual effects reminiscent of Who Framed Roger Rabbit in the late 80's.
This sequel stars Jamie Kennedy, the dweeb from the Scream
movies, playing our protagonist, a cartoon artist with an infant son.
The seed of Loki's mask somehow passed on to a new generation
during conception and Loki needs his mojo back and kidnaps the "gifted" child. There's a lot of cartoonish shenanigans just like the first movie, except it isn't funny here it's just cartoonish
nonsense.
Alan Cumming delivers an exceptionally bad performance as the
villain, Loki. The story is pretty much incomprehensible and even the visual effects are below standard. The overall result is just creepy.
A
movie which must be avoided and a sequel that shouldn't have been made.
1/10
