It’s 2025 and comedian/actor Jim Carrey is a staple of pop culture. His take on the Grinch gets played by audiences looking to kick off the festive season (for those who celebrate) each winter; his version of Doctor Robotnik introduced his antics to a brand-new generation of fans; and, for the last 30+ years, fans have quoted projects like In Living Color (1990 – 1994), Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Dumb and Dumber (1994), Batman Forever (1995), Liar, Liar (1997) — and these are just the comedic performances. Since then, he’s demonstrated a gift for other genres, devastating us with The Truman Show (1998), Man in the Moon (1999), and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), to name a few. But, today, we’re looking at one of his breakout and breakthrough comedies that would not only help establish Carrey as the massive talent he is, it would introduce audiences to Cameron Diaz (Shrek series; Being John Malkovich) and be a nominee for the 1995 Oscars in the Best Visual Effects category — Chuck Russell’s The Mask. Quoted endlessly with a soundtrack that continues to earn spins by fans decades later, Arrow Video offers a first-time 4K UHD restoration with seven new featurettes and archival materials in a brand-new limited edition packaging.
L-R: Cameron Diaz as Tina Carlyle and Jim Carrey as Stanley Ipkiss in THE MASK. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo not representative of 4K UHD restoration.
Stanley Ipkiss (Carrey) works at a bank in Edge City, living an earnest life and generally getting walked over by the many eagerly taking advantage. By sheer accident, Ipkiss discovers a wooden green mask and, as if pulled by some sensation, places it against his face, transforming him into an exact opposite version of himself that’s also emboldened by powers and abilities that allow him to transform reality. Given the nickname “The Mask” while wearing it, Stanley cuts a swath through Edge City, catching the attention of both Lt. Mitch Kellaway (Peter Reigert) and thief Dorian (Peter Greene). With threats closing in on Stanley, he’ll have to decide who he’d rather be: hero tied to the mask or the man without it.
The following 4K UHD review is based on a check disc provided by MVD Entertainment Group, courtesy of Arrow Video. Additionally, because we were provided a check disc, we cannot comment on any of the included materials with this edition: disc art, case, liner, physical supplemental materials, case, and anything else provided with the limited edition release.
Jim Carrey as The Mask in THE MASK. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo not representative of 4K UHD restoration.
In the absence of physical attributes, let’s focus on the restoration itself and the bonus materials.
THE MASK 4K UHD packshot. Photo courtesy of Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group.
Being provided a check disc unfortunately also means that I have no access to the information typically included with the booklet to identify the process for the restoration and that’s not information readily available on the Arrow or MVD websites. Instead, what I can discuss is that the bitrate for the on-disc presentation is remarkably high given the sheer amount of bonus materials included. Maintaining in the 80 Mbps range with occasional dips into the 70s and lifts into the 90s/100s, the bitrate is easily twice that of a Blu-ray (max 40 Mbps) and close to the max of a 4K UHD (120 Mbps). Without the liner, it’s difficult to note what type of disc Arrow used (single – quad), but, from the high bitrate, one can deduce that Arrow utilized a large capacity disc with multiple layers allowing for a large storage capability that empowers the film presentation to be as strong as possible. A significant drawback in other restorations from major distributors vs. boutiques is that the restoration is either joined by a large number of bonus materials (thereby reducing available storage space for the film and increasing necessary compression) or is a dual-disc with the restoration existing on its own disc. Arrow’s are typically single-disc releases with the 4K UHD or Blu-ray editions solid individually, requiring that they address the storage issue to ensure that the on-disc presentation lives up to the standards of the organization. Strictly from a technological perspective, the 4K UHD disc does this as the new bonus materials are high-grade productions and the on-disc presentation maintains a significant high bitrate.
In terms of the presentation itself, while the audio elements don’t exactly blow out the speakers or create intense immersion, the two dance sequences are positively stellar as the music is beautifully supported with a 5.1 presentation (the EoM HQ setup). Additionally, the 4K UHD presentation with Dolby Vision isn’t mind-blowing, rather, it’s incredibly supportive to John R. Leonetti’s (Mortal Kombat; The Conjuring; Insidious) original cinematography. The yellow of The Mask’s signature suit is bright without glowing, the details refined and the image sharper so that we can see the fabric more clearly; the green of the face mask is intense without being distracting, the prosthetics and Carrey’s natural bone-structure are blended seamlessly so that the implication of where the mask ends and Ipkiss begins is beautifully supported; and the visual effects (though dated by today’s standards) maintain their integrity, thereby allowing the illusion of the story to hold. (The 1989 Batman 4K UHD, for instance, makes it easier to identify the prosthetics Jack Nicholson is wearing as The Joker). The film itself is a mix of light and dark as the cartoonish mania of The Mask is meant to be tempered by realism, so don’t go expecting the 4K UHD with Dolby Vision to transform the film into something it’s not; rather, as a solid restoration should, it functions to support the vision of the director and their team to produce the best presentation possible, which is successfully done here.
Adding to the joy of revisiting the film, the Arrow edition, regardless of 4K UHD or Blu-ray, includes over 90 minutes of new bonus features across seven new featurettes. We’re talking a 20-minute sit-down with Russell in which he talks about transitioning from directing A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) to this (including the process of dialing back the original horror elements so it wouldn’t be compared as easily), selecting Carrey, the choice to design Edge City so it wouldn’t be time-locked to 1994 (including the music), and quite a bit more. We’re talking an 18-minute sit-down with Masque comic creator/Dark Horse Comics founder Mike Richardson, screenwriter Mike Werb (Face/Off), and story co-creator Mark Verheiden (Terror Squad) where they share their respective and over-lapping experiences with the creation of the character Masque, adapting it for film, reducing the horror elements, and its world premiere (including an amusing anecdote from Verheiden). We’re talking a 14-minute sit-down with visual effects supervisor Scott Squires (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) who discusses a bit of his work on Close Encounters ahead of working on The Mask, the tools used on set to create reference points both for the actors while filming and VFX team in post, and the Oscar nomination experience. A personal favorite included within these new featurettes is the 12-minute sit-down with actor Amy Yasbeck (Robin Hood: Men in Tights; Problem Child) who discusses her role as Peggy, the reporter with a greedy heart, within the context of the original end for her character, what it was like working with Carrey and Riegert (Animal House), and how she prepped for this specific role with help from her late husband, John Ritter (Problem Child; Three’s Company). Each of the featurettes, the four teased above and the three remaining, are immaculately crafted to ensure that audiences learn something new about different aspects of production. If there’s one complaint, it’s the frequent use of the same sequences (the Tex Avery-influenced scenes, specifically) as background to compliment the stories; but this is truly mild in the grand scheme.
L-R: Jim Carrey as The Mask and Cameron Diaz as Tina Carlyle in THE MASK. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Photo not representative of 4K UHD restoration.
There are, of course, the previously available two commentary tracks (Director’s and Filmmakers’ commentary), six featurettes (Return to Edge City, Introducing Cameron Diaz, Cartoon Logic, What Makes Fido Run, The Making Of, Interview Bites), two deleted scenes (with and without commentary), B-Roll, theatrical trailer, and an image gallery. So if you have a Blu-ray edition of The Mask, there’s plenty of carry-over.
Speaking personally for a moment, I have a long history with this film as I was one of many in attendance when it initially opened and I took a date with me (a first date). Though there wasn’t a second (unclear in my memory if she didn’t have fun or my social awkwardness got in the way of asking for another), this film has proven to be a comfort in the decades since its release between its balance of drama and hilarity, as well as a soundtrack I’ve owned on both cassette and CD (and continue to “spin” it digitally on my iPod). Despite Russell’s attempts to make the film timeless by not anchoring it in the ‘90s, it is, nevertheless, a load-bearing moment in my life that has been carried forth through multiple heartbreaks, life-changing events, and eventual settling down with the kind of partner Ipkiss sought to acquire. Viewing the film now, even with nostalgia, the performances from Carrey, Diaz, Greene, Yasbeck, and Riegert (as well as the rest of the ensemble) continue to entertain as those characters which need to be grounded come off as authentic in order to many the zaniness of The Mask feel truly extraordinary. However, one does notice that the film, in keeping some ties to its more violent source material, does perform quite a bit of violence that goes unanswered with the script asking the audience to let Ipkiss go because those hurt “deserved it” whether it’s the two mechanics who regularly fleece customers or Reg E. Cathey’s Freeze who dies of wounds sustained when The Mask interrupts the bank heist. Given any thought, the morality of the film is, itself, questionable as it tries to let Ipkiss ride off into the sunset with Tina without paying for crimes he is responsible for regardless of whether he did them while wearing the enchanted mask or not. This doesn’t deter one from having a good time, but it does add a bit of shade to the experience, which, if I may, helps the already morally grey character grow more interesting.
When it’s all said and done, the choice to pick up either the 4K UHD or Blu-ray limited edition restoration of The Mask from Arrow is entirely up to you. Have you been able to enjoy this film in all its earnest ridiculousness on both DVD and Blu-ray? Do you need a version of the film that’s restored in 4K? Can you enjoy the film without all the new bonus features? The answers are, of course, yes, but a version like this isn’t for those who enjoy the film, it’s for those who’ve been quoting the film since ‘94 who would enjoy delving deeper into the creative process that brought the film from ideation to completion and who are continually impressed by the commitment of the cast and crew to produce a film that’s as entertaining then as now. If this sounds like you, well, you’ve likely already got this edition (in either format) pre-ordered. For those on the fence, two things to keep in mind: (1) Arrow usually has a sale associated with Barnes & Noble a few times a year, including January, and (2) they sometimes create standard editions at a lower price point that include all the on-disc materials and none of the physical supplementals. While I would absolutely recommend this title and edition for massive fans, waiting might be a good idea for those a little less passionate.
The Mask 4K UHD Special Features:
- *NEW* 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Films approved by director Chuck Russell
- *NEW* 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio, lossless stereo audio and a brand new Dolby Atmos mix
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Archive audio commentary with Chuck Russell
- Archive audio commentary with Chuck Russell, New Line co-chairman Bob Shaye, screenwriter Mike Werb, executive producer Mike Richardson, producer Bob Engelman, ILM VFX supervisor Scott Squires, animation supervisor Tom Bertino and cinematographer John R. Leonetti
- *NEW* The Man Behind the Mask, a newly filmed interview with Chuck Russell (20:27)
- *NEW* From Strip to Screen, a newly filmed interview with Mike Richardson, Mike Werb and Mark Verheiden (18:34)
- *NEW* Green Faces Blue Screens, a newly filmed interview with visual effects supervisor Scott Squires (14:16)
- *NEW* Sssssssplicin’!, a newly filmed interview with editor Arthur Coburn (6:51)
- *NEW* Ask Peggy, a newly filmed interview with actor Amy Yasbeck (12:38)
- *NEW* Toeing the Conga Line, a newly filmed interview with choreographer Jerry Evans featuring never-before-seen rehearsal footage (10:10)
- *NEW* Terriermania, a new video essay by critic Elizabeth Purchell on canine sidekick Milo (10:18)
- Archival featurettes Return to Edge City, Introducing Cameron Diaz, Cartoon Logic, What Makes Fido Run, The Making Of, on-set interview bites with the cast and director and B-Roll footage
- Deleted scenes, with optional commentary by director Chuck Russell
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
- Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and original production notes
- Double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options
- Six postcard-sized reproduction artcards
Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray Limited Edition November 11th, 2025.
For more information on the film, head to the official Warner Bros. Pictures The Mask webpage.
For more information on the new edition, head to the official Arrow Video The Mask webpage.
To purchase, head to the official MVD Entertainment The Mask webpage.
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Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Recommendation
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