A lot of fun...but exhausting

Rating: 5/10 (23 February 2008)

Nerdy bank clerk Jim Carrey (playing Stanley Ipkiss, perhaps in a nod to "The Ipcress File") runs afoul of gangsters; luckily, he has recently acquired an ancient mask which, when worn, turns him into a whirling dervish of a super-hero. Live-action cartoon is best left to younger audiences, with unsubtle humor, formulaic plotting, and in-your-face mugging from Carrey, who busts many moves for the length of the picture. Carrey is actually fairly agreeable here, particularly as clerk Stanley, and he's paired wonderfully with saucy Cameron Diaz, making her debut as a torchy gangster's girl. The special effects are initially quite colorful, but they wear out their welcome, as does this exceptionally slim plot. Followed by a Carrey/Diaz-less sequel and an animated TV series. ** from ****