Son of the Mask
2005 · Directed by Lawrence Guterman
Original language: English
- fantasy
- comedy
- family
- adventure
The story
Tim Avery, an aspiring cartoonist, finds himself in a predicament when his dog stumbles upon the mask of Loki. Then after conceiving an infant son "born of the mask", he discovers just how looney child raising can be.
What it’s like
Bright, glossy digital colour and broad, cartoonish staging set the tone, with a suburban house and sunny daytime streets giving way to flashy green-tinged special effects whenever the mask takes hold. The camera stays mostly conventional and eye-level, letting the physical comedy play out in full, and the score is bouncy and orchestral, with swells that lean into the gags. The mood is cheerful, chaotic and goofy rather than dark: a family sitcom-style household rattled by a mischievous infant and a mythic trickster's antics, with some Norse-flavoured fantasy detours. Pacing is brisk, and the feel is light, self-aware silliness. Intensity is low: slapstick mayhem, cartoon-style peril and a few menacing villain moments, but no gore, no sexual content and nothing frightening. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a family movie night, or a comfort watch for anyone who wants undemanding, playful fun about a new father wrestling with a child who is anything but ordinary.
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