Where to watch Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
2 1/2 Stars
Ace Ventura, emerging from self-imposed exile in a remote Himalayan hideaway, travels to Africa with explorer Fulton Greenwall to find a sacred bat which is told will avert a war between with Wachootoo and Wachati tribes. Of course, when Ace gets involved, all hell breaks loose…
I witnessed the meteoric rise to stardom for comedian Jim Carrey. His trifecta of box-office smashes in 1994 and then a co-starring role in Batman Forever made Carrey the biggest movie star in the world in 1995. After the surprise success of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, a sequel was inevitable, and When Nature Calls is a slightly better-than-average follow-up to the classic. At times WNC has the feel of a quick cash grab, and during other scenes, it’s laugh-out-loud funny and filled with inspired lunacy, so it’s a mixed bag.
Jim Carrey is the greatest physical screen comedian in the history of cinema. The man’s caloric output during the making of these movies must be staggering. I would assume Carrey was contractually obligated to this sequel as part of his deal for Batman, and he was presumably paid handsomely to return to a signature role. Still, this movie lacks the flow and constant laughs of the original film. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is a so-so sequel to one of the funniest movies of the 1990s.
Directed by: Steve Oedekerk
Written by: Jack Bernstein, Steve Oedekerk
Starring: Jim Carrey, Ian McNeice, Simon Callow