FROM ZERO TO HERO.
Timid bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) finds a magical wooden mask that turns him into a confident, wise-cracking trickster with superpowers. Along with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, this adaptation of the Dark Horse comic book made Carrey into a major star in 1994. He’s the right person to play the titular character, a limitless creature full of imitations; visual effects bring him alive, but Carrey’s energy is a huge part of it. The comic book is darker, and the director made A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 (1987), but this movie is more kid-friendly. Still, funny and lively; more bloodshed wouldn’t have made a difference.
1994-U.S. 101 min. Color. Directed by Charles Russell. Comic Book: John Arcudi, Doug Mahnke. Cast: Jim Carrey (Stanley Ipkiss/The Mask), Cameron Diaz (Tina Carlyle), Peter Riegert (Mitch Kellaway), Peter Greene, Amy Yasbeck, Richard Jeni.
Trivia: Followed by Son of the Mask (2005) and an animated TV series (1995-1997).
