It happened in 2005. Most of us went into the theater expecting something—anything—remotely close to the chaotic, green-faced energy of Jim Carrey. Instead, we got a neon-soaked fever dream that effectively ended a franchise. Son of the Mask isn't just a bad sequel; it’s a fascinating case study in what happens when a studio tries to capture lightning in a bottle twice, but the bottle is made of cheap plastic and the lightning is actually just a malfunctioning strobe light.
Honestly, the sheer audacity of this movie is something to behold.
👉 See also: William Blore in And Then There Were None: Why This Character is the Key to Christie’s Genius
Jamie Kennedy, coming off the high of Scream and The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, was handed the impossible task of filling Jim Carrey’s shoes. He plays Tim Avery, a struggling cartoonist who discovers that his dog, Otis, has found the legendary Mask of Loki. Things get weird when Tim conceives a child while wearing the mask. The result? Alvey, a baby born with the powers of a Norse god and the facial expressions of a middle-aged man rendered in mid-2000s CGI.
It’s terrifying. There’s no other way to put it.
The CGI Nightmare and the Uncanny Valley
The biggest hurdle Son of the Mask never quite cleared was the visual effects. In the 1994 original, the effects were groundbreaking because they blended practical makeup with digital touch-ups. It felt tactile. When Carrey’s head turned into a giant jackhammer, it worked because his performance anchored the absurdity.
Fast forward to 2005.
The sequel leaned entirely into digital manipulation. The baby, Alvey, is a digital puppet that feels disconnected from the physical world. Director Lawrence Guterman, who had success with Cats & Dogs, tried to apply that same "talking animal" logic to a human infant. It backfired. Audiences weren't ready for a baby that could shape-shift into a Viking or dance like a vaudeville performer while maintaining a frozen, digital stare.
Critics like Roger Ebert were notoriously baffled. Ebert gave it 1.5 stars, basically saying he didn't laugh once. That’s the kiss of death for a comedy. When the primary source of humor is "look at this weird digital thing happening," and the "thing" is unsettling rather than funny, you’ve lost the room.
The Loki Problem: Alan Cumming vs. The Script
One of the few bright spots—or at least, interesting spots—is Alan Cumming as Loki.
He’s clearly trying. He brings this flamboyant, neurotic energy to the role that almost fits the tone. But the script forces him into these bizarre subplots involving his father, Odin (played by Bob Hoskins, who looks like he’d rather be anywhere else). The dynamic between Loki and Odin should have been the emotional core, a mythological family drama played for laughs. Instead, it’s buried under a mountain of slapstick that feels like it was written for toddlers but directed for people on a sugar crash.
Why Son of the Mask Failed Where the Original Succeeded
Let's talk about the tonal shift. The first Mask movie was a dark, gritty neo-noir comedy. It was based on a Dark Horse comic book that was actually incredibly violent. The 1994 film toned that down, but it kept the edge. It was a movie for adults that kids happened to love.
Son of the Mask pivoted hard to a PG rating. It became a live-action cartoon.
- The Stakes: In the first one, Stanley Ipkiss is fighting the mob and trying to save the girl. In the sequel, Tim Avery is just trying to survive a baby that has god-like powers. The scale feels smaller and yet more bloated at the same time.
- The Comedy: Carrey’s humor was physical and improvisational. Kennedy’s role is more reactive. He’s the "straight man" to a CGI baby and a dog. That’s a tough spot for any comedian.
- The Music: Remember "Cuban Pete"? That was a genuine cultural moment. The sequel tries to recreate this with "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," but it feels forced. It’s a cover of a cover, losing the soul of the original performance.
The budget was roughly $84 million. It made back about $60 million globally. In Hollywood terms, that’s a disaster. It wasn't just a financial flop; it became a punchline. For years, it sat near the bottom of the IMDb Bottom 100 list, nestled between movies that were made for a fraction of its budget.
🔗 Read more: Matthew Keller: What Most People Get Wrong About White Collar’s Best Villain
The Legacy of a Box Office Bomb
Is it possible to find joy in Son of the Mask today?
Maybe. If you view it as an experimental piece of surrealist art, it kind of works. The production design is incredibly vibrant. The colors pop. It looks like a comic book come to life, even if that life is a bit distorted. There’s a cult following of sorts—people who grew up with it on DVD and find a nostalgic comfort in its chaotic energy.
But for the general public, it remains a cautionary tale about sequels. It proves that you can't just replace a generational talent like Jim Carrey with more special effects. You need a soul. You need a reason for the story to exist beyond "we still have the rights to this character."
The movie also effectively ended the big-screen life of the Mask character for decades. While there have been rumors of a "reboot" or a female-led version closer to the comics, the shadow of the 2005 sequel is long. Studios are terrified of repeating that specific brand of failure.
👉 See also: Orange Crush R.E.M. Lyrics: What Most People Get Wrong About This 80s Anthem
Real Talk: The Career Impact
Jamie Kennedy actually spoke about the movie’s reception in his documentary Heckler. It was a rough time. He was the face of a movie everyone hated, and that’s a heavy burden for a performer. It’s a reminder that even when an actor gives it their all, they are at the mercy of the edit, the CGI, and the overall vision of the production.
Bob Hoskins, a legendary actor, reportedly didn't have the best experience either. It’s one of those roles that fans of Who Framed Roger Rabbit usually choose to forget exists.
How to Approach a Rewatch in 2026
If you’re feeling brave and want to revisit this piece of cinematic history, go in with the right mindset. Don't expect The Mask. Expect a weird, loud, colorful artifact from a time when Hollywood was still trying to figure out what CGI could do.
- Watch for the Practical Sets: Some of the physical environments are actually quite impressive.
- Ignore the Uncanny Valley: Try to view the baby Alvey as a cartoon character rather than a human child. It helps with the creeping dread.
- Focus on Alan Cumming: His performance is the most "human" thing in the movie, ironically.
The reality is that Son of the Mask exists in its own weird bubble. It’s not "so bad it's good" in the traditional sense, but it’s so strange that it’s almost impossible to look away from. It’s a relic of 2005—a year when we were obsessed with pushing digital boundaries, even if those boundaries pushed back.
Actionable Steps for Movie Buffs and Critics
If you are researching the downfall of 2000s sequels or just want to understand this film better, here is how to process the Son of the Mask phenomenon:
- Compare the Source Material: Read the original Dark Horse Mask comics. You'll see just how far the franchise strayed from its roots by the time the sequel arrived.
- Study the "Flop" Mechanics: Look at the release window of February 2005. It was a crowded time for family films, which contributed to its swift exit from theaters.
- Analyze the Visual Effects: Research Industrial Light & Magic’s involvement. Despite the criticism, the technical work was complex for the era; the failure was more in the "art direction" than the "technical execution."
- Check Out "Heckler": Watch Jamie Kennedy's documentary to see the human side of being in a critically panned blockbuster. It provides a rare, honest look at the industry.