E-Mail This Article to a Friend SON OF THE MASK

This pointless sequel to the 1994 hit that launched the careers of Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz begins when Odin asks Loki, the god of mischief, to recover the title artifact, which he placed on earth to trigger chaos among men. (It turns the wearer into a green dervish with cartoonish superpowers.) Before Loki can do so, Tim Avery (Jamie Kennedy), a wimpy underachiever, conceives a son while wearing the mask. The kid (played by numerous tykes) is likewise gifted, and when no one else is looking, he uses his powers to drive his father crazy. Meanwhile, Loki (Alan Cumming, who seems born for the part), bent on a Terminator-esque pursuit (the film’s one humorous spoof), presents Tim with another problem. As with the first Mask, a rambunctious Jack Russell terrier is involved, and director Lawrence Guterman (Cats & Dogs) keeps the pace brisk, but it’s hard to figure who this film was made for: kids aren’t going to get the sexual innuendo, and not many adults will enjoy the blast of urine and splatters of snot and vomit. (86 minutes)