Directed by: Charles Russell
Story by: Michael Fallon
Screenplay by: Mike Werb
Bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss is transformed into a manic superhero when he wears a mysterious mask.
As I've become interested in comics, there's one comic that started that interest. I watched a video about how the comic The Mask is based on is actually super violent. I haven't been able to order those comics yet, but I definitely want to come back to those.
I've only seen The Mask once before, and while I knew it's not violent, I still wanted to see it again, mostly to imagine what it would be like if it was like the original.
The biggest factor which makes this movie the way it is, is of course Jim Carrey's bat shit insane performance. His comedy has always been very over the top expressive, because even though we know he is a talented actor, he's even more talented at making all those faces. The thing is, it's not always as funny as it's probably meant to be. The only scene where that expressiveness was actually funny was when his character Stanley Ipkiss dreams how he's sexy and suave with Cameron Diaz's character, but Jim Carrey is still being very... Jim Carrey. It's because he's trying to be so suave the expressions are so out of place. Everywhere else when he's being the Mask it's just off-putting. Just like the CGI, dear god...
According to the Trivia on IMDb, on the violent and dark nature of the original comics, "the movie script started off in that tone before being transformed as a vehicle for Jim Carrey's unique comedy." That makes a lot of sense because when Ipkiss first becomes The Mask, it feels like you're just watching Jim Carrey being weird. Towards the end it feels less like that, luckily, but before the real conflicts in the story happen, it's kind of a one man show, and a poor one at that.
But the thing is... Imagine if the movie was as violent as the comic. And imagine Jim Carrey giving that exact same bat shit crazy, over the top, cartoonish performance while everything was super violent. That would be so fucked up, and it would definitely be an interesting movie.
The problem with the comedy of this movie is that it's just fast-paced weirdness. It probably comes from the era of weird movies that were weird just for the sake of being weird. There are still few good jokes and gags that actually made me laugh out loud.
The Mask doesn't really leave and impression on me, apart from being super weird yet boring. There's something it needs, and considering my taste, I'd like it to be more violent and dark. I guess people like this, and of course I can see why. Jim Carrey is kind of charming, and if you like this kind of comedy, and you like the way it mixes with the semi-serious criminal plot, it's obviously a movie for you. It just doesn't do much for me.
The problem with the comedy of this movie is that it's just fast-paced weirdness. It probably comes from the era of weird movies that were weird just for the sake of being weird. There are still few good jokes and gags that actually made me laugh out loud.
The Mask doesn't really leave and impression on me, apart from being super weird yet boring. There's something it needs, and considering my taste, I'd like it to be more violent and dark. I guess people like this, and of course I can see why. Jim Carrey is kind of charming, and if you like this kind of comedy, and you like the way it mixes with the semi-serious criminal plot, it's obviously a movie for you. It just doesn't do much for me.
☆☆☆
3 / 10
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