The Mask: 5 Ways The Original Is The Best (& 5 Why The Sequel Wasn’t)
The Mask is a comedy classic that many remember Jim Carrey for. This 1994 neo-noir superhero comedy film became a cult classic and was loosely based on the comic book series. The film was a critical and commercial success that solidified Carrey as a prominent actor.
What some may not know is that the film has a stand-alone sequel the debuted in 2005. Son of the Mask didn't do well compared to its predecessor. It had big shoes to fill that sadly didn't work out in many ways. The original Jim Carrey version still reigns supreme and it's no surprise it was nominated for many awards compared to the sequel that received low reviews.
10 THE MASK: The "Nice Guy" Saves The Day
What made the original film so fun to watch and resonated will audiences was Carrey's character, Stanley Ipkiss. Stanley isn't necessarily the cool dude and is just an otherwise unremarkable bank teller. He has no real authority or presence amongst others. He's even unable to get into the famous Coco Bongo club.
Despite this, Staley is the good guy; the nice guy who respects others, especially women, and always tries to do the right thing. Even when in possession of the Mask, he does wreak havoc but at the end of the day realizes that the Mask's powers aren't meant for anyone. Stanley even tries to save the day without The Mask's help!
9 SON OF THE MASK: The Writing Fell Flat
Many viewers felt that Son of the Mask lacked in the writing department. The sequel is about a struggling animator (Tim) who comes into possession of the Mask and has some fun. On one night of fun with his wife, he unintentionally creates a child who inherited The Mask's powers. Meanwhile, Loki (Alan Cumming) is on the hunt to take back what's his.
It seems like an interesting storyline but it fell short of a good delivery on screen. Critics even felt the sequel didn't run smoothly when it came to dialogue and had no real charm to it. In fact, many were on the verge of walking out of the theater because of how boring it was.
8 THE MASK: Jim Carrey Stood Out
The Mask became one of Jim Carrey's defining works on-screen in the '90s. Carrey still held true to his comedic and outlandish persona, but it worked incredibly well with portraying Stanley and The Mask. Carrey played into Stanley's shy and nerdy demeanor with some comedic flare.
The Mask is suave, bold and cartoonishly bizarre, but in a good way. It fit Carrey perfectly as he is well known for being extravagant when it came to physical acting. Carrey ultimately brought the character to life in a way that was convincing and fun.
7 SON OF THE MASK: The Mask Looks Gimmicky
In terms of how The Mask is portrayed as an alternate persona, the sequel didn't do as well as a job. It's obvious that The Mask isn't meant to look 100% human or realistic. The Carrey version has puke-green skin and ginormous bulging teeth, plus as the famous "butt" chin. In some way, it still had a realistic element due to the fact that it held onto normal facial features.
The sequel didn't do as much and made the character look too gimmicky. This version had doll-like plastic orange hair, an elongated chin and bright red lips. Truth be told, he looked more like an action figure brought to life in The Santa Clause 2.
6 THE MASK: The Special Effects Brought The Movie To Life
The Mask was highly praised by critics for its incredible use of special effects. Fans will recall how the film was able to bring to life the cartoon aspect of the plot into a realistic setting. It was done in a way that was smooth and didn't feel like an over-exaggeration to a point where it was a gimmick.
It was a perfect display of how a cartoon type character would look and act if brought into the real world. The film's special effects were so above par that it was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards when it premiered in the 90s.
5 SON OF THE MASK: An Overuse Of Subpar Visual Effects
Looking at many critic's reviews of the sequel, many had one thing to say. They all felt that Son of the Mask didn't do a good job in the visual effects department. Roger Ebert, a critic of the Chicago Sun-Times, said at the time, "What we basically have here is a license for the filmmakers to do whatever they want to do with the special effects, while the plot, like Wile E. Coyote, keeps running into the wall."
Ebert wasn't the only one who felt this way. Many criticized the movie for overusing visual effects to a point it lost its charm as a cartoon based film. Some audiences even reviewed the animation as "ugly" and "too animated."
4 THE MASK: The Power Of The Mask Is More Chaotic
The Mask from the original compared to the sequel are completely different characters. This is more in reference to its powers and how they were portrayed on screen.
In the Carrey version, audiences know that The Mask has immense power that is a bit more evil in a way. He takes revenge on Ipkiss's behalf and goes after the auto shop workers. But what made The Mask hectic was the fact that Ipkiss has no recollection of what he technically did. The Mask is its own identity who brings to life a more unapologetic version of Stanley whereas Son of the Mask's version is just a slightly more hyper-active Tim but with a green face.
3 SON OF THE MASK: The Comedy Hit A Brick Wall
Another aspect that fans loved from the original film was the comedy. But the sequel fell short and didn't deliver the same laugh-out-loud comedy that audiences wanted. While Son of the Mask had some moments, overall it didn't have the comedic punch that Carrey was able to deliver.
Some critics even called the sequel film "painfully unfunny." It was the definition of trying too hard and failing. There are very few who found some form of laughs in the dog that wears The Mask, but that's about it.
2 THE MASK: The Plot Was More Dangerous & Riveting
Despite the overall fun storyline of The Mask, the original film had another storyline that made the film fun to watch. This is the gangster storyline with the big villain. In the film, there's a gangster named Dorian (Peter Greene) who is planning to rob Ipkiss's bank.
He ends up playing the big bad guy in a superb way. He winds up wanting to kill Ipkiss, aka The Mask, because he inadvertently ruined his plans and killed one of his men. This creates a good feud when Dorian comes into possession of The Mask and becomes a buff super version of himself with red eyes. It created a level of intensity the film needed.
1 SON OF THE MASK: Loki & Odin Didn't Add Much
If there was one thing that audiences felt the sequel did a good job at, it was casting Alan Cumming as Loki. The premise of the film is that Loki angers Odin (Bob Hiskins) for losing The Mask and must go retrieve it. Hence the ongoing chase between Loki, Tim and the baby.
Many felt these characters were paper thin and didn't have enough flavor to make the film a good watch. While Cummings embodied the role well, it did nothing for the overall story. There were no riveting and enticing characters that made the film worth watching.
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October 07, 2020 at 05:30AM
Labels: ScreenRant - Feed
posted by Puram arjun @ October 07, 2020
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