Son of the Mask

SON OF THE MASK
By Reymundo Salao
Just Another Film Junkie

"Son of the Mask" left off where the first film ended, that is, when Carrey's Ipkis character threw away the mask that gave him his power, it ended up drifting at sea, until it was again found by Otis, the beloved pet dog of Tim Avery (The character name Tim Avery is a reference to the well-known cartoonist Tex Avery), who was married to his loving wife Tonya. Tim later found the mask that his dog had retrieved, and one evening, he was able to use it and become The Mask. While in this superhuman persona, he was able to (ahem) "consumate" with his wife. Months later, baby Alvey Avery was born, and is endowed with superhuman powers. Otis, the dog, suddenly felt a sort of sibling jealousy, as his master's affection has been diverted with this baby. With the power of the mask, which Otis the dog uses, he gets into a sort of "Wily E. Coyote versus Road Runner" war with baby Alvey. Unbeknownst to them, Loki, the Norse god of mischief, has come looking for that which he is the rightful owner of; the mischievous Mask. And will stop at nothing to find his relic of power.

Nothing compares to the original. But that's not to say that the sequel of Jim Carrey's wacky superhero comedy "The Mask", "Son of the Mask" was a failure. Jamie Kennedy is indeed a weak replacement to the greatness in hilarity of Jim Carrey. The animated cartoons version and the Dark Horse comics version pretty much sealed the Carrey impression of this fictional character, almost making Carrey and the zany superhero character synonymous. Not to mention the fact that the first "Mask" movie practically MADE Jim Carrey. Kennedy's "Mask" character is pretty bland, and horrendously lacked the energy of what the character of The Mask was supposed to be. Jamie Kennedy's mask characterization was lame in its most literal sense. Your most boring arithmetic teacher may be funnier. The musical scene which was supposed to be reminiscent of the musical number of the first movie, shows how Kennedy can make this musical so excruciatingly dull, to the point that you wonder when will it end. Thank God, Kennedy's characterization of the Mask character appeared in only two scenes, and the rest of the characters, actors, and actresses, and even the storyline, passed satisfactorily, making it a comedy worth watching. Just ignore Kennedy, and you will have a great time.

The comedy of the film revolves in a number of characters, from the loser persona played by Kennedy, the impressive CG animation, and on Alan Cumming's wild portrayal of Loki, the god of mischief. It is safe to say that Cumming is the one actor who really displayed the better comedic talent in this movie. But the highlight must be in the funny CG animated rendition of the baby's display of superpowers. From the dancing, to the facial expressions, to the little war he has with Otis the dog in Mask form, that baby was the star of the show.

"Son of the Mask" is true-blue eye candy, and a family-friendly comedy. If you love wild cartoonish slapstick, this film will indeed blow your senses. A film best served for kids and for the kid inside every adult.