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| Son of the Mask (2004)
 
Starring: Jamie Kennedy, Alan Cumming, Traylor Howard, Bob Hoskins, Kal Penn Director: Lawrence Guterman Rating: PG Category: Comedy  |
Hollywood has come a long way since the 1994 release of Jim Carrey’s manic comedy, “The Mask,” and since then we’ve all learned a few things about how the movie industry operates, namely the fact that most studios could really care less about the quality of their films. Instead, they design projects around the money that they’re sure to make from faded memories of a good time watching the original, and after suffering from years of script revisions, cast changes, and a near direct-to-video release, the unwelcome sequel “Son of the Mask” made its inevitable debut in theaters. Its two week detour on the big screen only reaffirmed early suspicions that it should have just been dumped to DVD, but how could anyone pass on making a few million at the box office?
The next leg of the tale is not a continuation of the character first seen in the original, but rather an extension to the story of the mysterious mask and its life-changing effects on the out-of-luck losers of the world. Tim Avery (Jamie Kennedy) is one such loser, an aspiring cartoon artist whose best friend is his dog Otis. His wife Tonya (Traylor Howard) wants to start a family, but Tim won’t make any further commitments until after he’s landed a cartoon deal. Long story short, Tim discovers the ancient mask, transforms into the green-faced superhero, impregnates his wife, and wows his fellow co-workers during a company Halloween party.
Just as soon as Tim is promoted at work, he discovers that his baby boy possesses the same supernatural powers, and to make matters worse, Loki (Alan Cumming), the god of mischief, comes thundering down from the heavens in order to retrieve his beloved mask. He is instead forced to face off against the shape-shifting baby in a computer-generated game of cat-and-mouse, while Otis contends for Tim’s friendship by scheming to kill his newborn son.
The film quickly loses any substance of story that may have existed throughout the first thirty minutes, and effortlessly resorts to childish slapstick as its main source of humor. Alan Cumming is far too talented for this piece of rubbish and Kennedy can never replace Jim Carrey as the once-hilarious Mask character. His performance as the green-skinned superhero is neither inspiring nor memorable, and it’s a shame that his first starring film role was scarred by such a weak script. For a film that just as rightfully deserves a dust-covered spot on the shelves of video rental stores all over the world, every moviegoer deserves a chance to save five bucks now and again. You’ve been dutifully warned.
DVD Features:
The DVD release of "Son of the Mask" has been given a much better treatment than it probably deserves, but there is an ample supply of bonus material for those willing to stick around after the movie. Included on the single-disc release is a full-length audio commentary by director Larry Guterman, writer Lance Khazei, and star Jamie Kennedy, as well as nineteen (count them) deleted scenes and the film's theatrical trailer. Also featured in the extras menu is the CGI special "Creating Son of the Mask," "Chow Bella - Hollywood's Pampered Pooches," and a nice gallery of storyboard art. There's really no reason to run out to stores and pick this DVD up, but if you've already made the mistake of renting it, you may discover some supplemental worth with the disc's impressive array of extras.
~Jason Zingale
jzingale@bullz-eye.com