The Mask (Chuck Russell, 1994) Review

Here we stand on the edge of 200 reviews. Not only that but the next review sees my 1 year anniversary since I started reviewing films! I chose The Mask as my 199th review which may give some people an idea of what film I will be looking at for not only my 200th review but also my 1 year anniversary. Oooh the suspense (how many of you have already guessed correctly, thus ruining the suspense?), anyway let's get this one out of the way first!

Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) is shown to be a complete pushover and too nice for his own good. This all changes when he finds a mask depicting Loki (no this is not part of the Marvel universe). When he puts on the mask, Ipkiss becomes his inner self who is dubbed 'The Mask'. Dorian Tyrell (Peter Greene), a crime boss, finds out about The Mask who ends up causing the death of his partner in crime. Now Tyrell wants revenge against The Mask.

While this may be considered one of Jim Carrey's most famous movies, this doesn't necessarily make it his best one. Far from it in fact. The Mask is funny, inventive an filled with some good acting and writing but...that's about it. Everything else just comes up as "....eh". It's nowhere near a bad film (believe me, we'll get to that soon), it's just that certain aspects of it are a bit, well, "....eh". The CGI looks pretty dated now (albeit stylised to look cartoony) and also there are some scenes come off as more awkward than funny. It's a mixed response but there are certainly some good aspects.

It's not a bad film, I'm making that perfectly clear. Some of the good stuff stems from Jim Carrey's iconic portrayal of The Mask which leads to some quotable and memorable moments. You will remember this performance for a long time which overshadows some of the other actors in the film. That's not really a bad thing so much as the performance that stands out is exceptionally good. The writing helps accompany this which helped forge some of the most remembered lines in film.

The Mask is filled with some excellent stuff while it also has many aspects that hinder it and make it seem a bit dated. I will, however, cherish this film for not only introducing me to Jim Carrey but because it also got a sequel...a sequel we must never speak of...ever. A sequel that makes me realise how much better this film is. It makes it look better by comparison. It's not like I'm going to review that film anyway...hopefully not anyway.

Verdict:
6.5/10
A funny and witty film with Jim Carrey leading the way. It seems a bit dated now but you will remember this for a while after.