The Mask

Details

Stanley Ipkiss is the ultimate nice guy: polite, timid and permanently overlooked. He works at a bank, lives in a rather dingy apartment and is regularly pushed around by his customers, his landlady and almost everyone else he encounters. His only reliable companion is his Jack Russell terrier, Milo, although his colleague Charlie occasionally attempts to drag him out for a night on the town.

Stanley's uneventful life changes when the beautiful Tina Carlyle walks into the bank. Stanley is immediately smitten, but Tina is actually there to secretly record the bank's security arrangements for her gangster boyfriend, Dorian Tyrell. Dorian plans to rob the bank so that he can overthrow his employer and take control of the city's criminal underworld.

After a disastrous evening in which Stanley is refused entry to the Coco Bongo nightclub and left stranded at the roadside, he spots what appears to be a person floating in the river. Attempting to help, he instead discovers a strange wooden mask. When Stanley puts it on later that night, it transforms him into a green-faced, yellow-suited whirlwind with supernatural powers and absolutely none of Stanley's usual inhibitions.

As the Mask, Stanley takes revenge on the mechanics who humiliated him, confronts a gang of street thugs and turns his landlady's quiet boarding house upside down. He also discovers that the mask makes him practically indestructible and allows him to bend reality according to the rules of a particularly energetic cartoon. Unfortunately, his activities soon attract the attention of Lieutenant Kellaway, who becomes determined to discover the identity of the mysterious green-faced troublemaker.

Realising that his new powers might help him impress Tina, Stanley uses the mask to rob the bank before Dorian and his men can carry out their own raid. Flush with money and confidence, he returns to the Coco Bongo and gives Tina a night she will never forget. However, Dorian is far from pleased when he discovers that the bank has already been emptied and that the Mask has also made a fool of him in front of his own gang.

With both the police and Dorian closing in, Stanley begins to realise that the mask may be creating far more problems than it solves. Matters become considerably worse when Dorian discovers its secret and decides to try it for himself. Unlike Stanley, Dorian has no good nature or conscience to hold the mask's powers in check, leaving Stanley, Tina and the entire nightclub facing a very dangerous and completely unhinged opponent.

Thankfully, Stanley still has one unlikely hero on his side. Milo may be small, but when the faithful Jack Russell gets his paws on the mask during the final confrontation, he proves that cartoon chaos isn't restricted to humans.

Picture & Sound

The Region 2 transfer is unfortunately the weakest element of this release. The image can appear slightly washed out, with occasional softness and minor synchronisation issues reported on certain players. Given the vibrancy of the film's colour palette, this is particularly disappointing. The luminous greens, vivid costumes and extravagant nightclub sequences should leap from the screen, but the transfer frequently lacks the punch and clarity that the visuals deserve.

Despite the limitations of the transfer, the combination of practical and digital effects remains remarkably convincing. The computer-generated enhancements blend naturally with Carrey's physical performance, and very few of the effects look as dated as you might expect from an early 1990s production. Some sequences inevitably reveal their age, but the sheer inventiveness behind them remains difficult to fault.

On the plus side, the Dolby Digital soundtrack is lively and energetic. The big-band musical numbers and dance sequences burst from the speakers, whilst the surround mix adds weight to the chaos. Bass response during the nightclub scenes is particularly impressive and helps sell the exaggerated comic action. Dialogue remains clear throughout, even when Carrey is delivering his lines at something approaching the speed of light.

Menu & Extras

The menus are suitably lively and colourful, immediately placing the viewer in the right mood for the film. Warner have also included a respectable collection of extras, with the making-of feature providing an enjoyable look at the combination of practical effects, computer animation and Jim Carrey's remarkable physical performance.

Chuck Russell's commentary is worth a listen, particularly for anyone interested in how the filmmakers attempted to translate cartoon logic into live action. The interview material, cast information and behind-the-scenes footage add further value, although the presentation occasionally feels more like a collection of promotional material than a comprehensive retrospective. Nevertheless, there is certainly enough here to keep fans occupied once the credits have rolled.

Overall

Released during Jim Carrey's extraordinary breakthrough year alongside Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Dumb and Dumber, The Mask demonstrated that his talents extended far beyond simply pulling funny faces. His extraordinary expressions, physical comedy and impeccable timing made him the perfect choice for a character who behaves like a living cartoon, and even today it is difficult to imagine anyone else in the role.

The film also succeeds because it gives Carrey's relentless energy a surprisingly likeable character to work with. Stanley is a genuinely decent man who is continually overlooked and taken advantage of, meaning that it is difficult not to cheer when the mask finally allows him to turn the tables on everyone around him. The film may be loud, colourful and completely ridiculous, but underneath it all there is enough heart to hold the chaos together.

Cameron Diaz makes one of the most memorable screen debuts of the decade and instantly looks every inch a film star. Peter Greene provides a suitably unpleasant villain, whilst Milo threatens to steal the entire film whenever he appears. The supporting cast wisely play most of the madness straight, allowing Carrey and the visual effects to provide the majority of the chaos.

What really surprises modern audiences is just how well much of the film has aged. The visual effects were groundbreaking in 1994, yet because they were designed around Carrey's performance rather than used to replace it, they remain remarkably effective. The spinning eyes, enormous jaws and impossible transformations enhance his physical comedy rather than overwhelm it, creating something that still resembles a live-action Tex Avery cartoon.

Warner have produced a respectable DVD with a useful selection of extras, although the video transfer doesn't quite do justice to the film's colourful visuals. Thankfully, the energetic soundtrack and worthwhile bonus material help compensate for its shortcomings.

The Mask remains one of the defining comedies of the 1990s and one of the most inventive comic-book adaptations ever brought to the screen. Fast, funny, endlessly imaginative and bursting with energy, it is a film that still raises a smile every time you watch it. Ssssssmokin'!

Special features

• Theatrical Trailer
• Interview Bites
• The Cast
• B-Roll
• The Making of
• Director's Commentary