"Son of the Mask" is a tedious and uninspired sequel to the visually inventive Jim Carrey vehicle, "The Mask." It plays like a terrible cross between the original Mask film and "Baby Geniuses."

The basic concept in "Son of the Mask" comes from the old Dark Horse comic series, "The Mask." The previous Dark Horse films, "Hellboy" and "Mystery Men" were not great, but they worked much better than "Son of the Mask."

Both mask films are about an ancient mask that gives its wearer supernatural powers. The mask has a mind of its own and begins to take over the personality of the user.

In "Son of the Mask," a struggling would-be animator, Tim Avery (named in homage to the great animator, Tex Avery) impregnates his wife while he is wearing the mask. As a result, when the baby is born, he is able to change shape, and he gives his father a really hard time.

As if that isn’t bad enough, the family dog gets a hold of the mask and is also possessed. The dog is jealous of the tike because his master has neglected him in favor of the baby.

The dog ends up having a magical battle with the baby while the horrified Tex is baby-sitting. Things become further complicated when Loki, the maker of the mask, shows up to collect the mask.

Jaime Kennedy stars as Tim, and he lacks the whimsical zaniness that Carrey brought to the lead in the first film. Kennedy wisely doesn’t attempt to reproduce Carrey’s cartoonish facial contortions, but his comic persona is not distinctive enough to make a great impression. Kennedy is much better in his TV show, "The Jaime Kennedy Experiment," and Carrey is sorely missed in the film.

On the other hand, the Scottish born actor, Alan Cummings is ideal in the role of Loki, the God of mischief. He looks appropriately evil, in a spiky hairstyle that resembles the God’s horned helmet. This is Cummings’s second memorable comic book role. He also played the demon-like mutant hero, Nightcrawler in "X-men 2."

The "Son of the Mask" sports some decent special effects, and a competent cast, but the script is simply unsalvageable.