Behind the Mask is a film that's taken me more than a day to decide a fair reviewing score for, since it's such a wonderful idea that would be very difficult to execute perfectly. It sometimes feels kind of silly when it should feel serious, and yet sometimes feels a little too serious when it should feel silly, if you get me.
I enjoyed the movie. I thought it was funny and loved the actors. They truly do a fantastic job of portraying the individual personalities of the in-depth characters. Nathan Baesel plays an oddly likeable slasher, who treats his status like a job. Remarkably, he hasn't done much work outside of this film, which is kind of sad because he reminded me very much of a villainous Jim Carrey, but without ever seeming TOO over the top. He does a brilliant job of getting you to enjoy watching his character develop, making you care about him, whilst never letting you forget that he is a dangerous man.
The script is funny and for the most part well written. There were a few little bits here and there that I felt it could've done without as they made the plot feel a little uneven in bits, but for the most part it was enjoyable to watch. The film never really drags. It's also interesting how the first half of the film is presented as a mockumentary, whereas the second half is your standard climactic horror movie, where you get to see the cameramen who filmed the first half of the film. I enjoyed the transition and haven't seen many similar instances of this.
The film unfortunately suffers a little from obviously fake special effects and definitely won't appeal to anyone looking for a scare. It's comical all the way through and never takes itself too seriously. The ending feels a little incomplete and to be honest, kind of predictable. However, it's a good watch for anyone looking for a funny film with an interest in the classic slasher movies as the jokes and dialogue will be relatable to fans of these. Just don't expect to be frightened.
