Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls

From the very opening scene of this movie - in which a daring (Cliffhangeresque) mountain-top racoon rescue attempt goes horribly wrong, leaving Ace emotionally scarred - you know exactly what to expect from Carrey's Ventura sequel. If anything, When Nature Calls is even more illogical than the original - but in my humble opinion, just as funny.

Ace is assigned to help the ancient African Wachati tribe find their kidnapped sacred bat, and as he blazes a trail of destruction and mayhem through the jungle he slowly uncovers a nasty conspiracy and some really evil bad guys. To give away any of the numerous (and weak-bladder-teasing) jokes would be a really scummy thing to do - so I won't.

One could say that Steve Oedekerk's direction demonstrates his awe of the 20 million dollar star ; some of the scenes of Carrey mugging at the camera go on for a few more minutes than one would expect (in fact, self-indulgence is a term which springs to mind). One could also criticise the weak plotline, or the way in which the film in peppered with Batman Forever in-jokes (or, it would be more accurate to say, completely-out-and-swaying-in-the-breeze-jokes). In any of these cases, one would be talking complete pants. That's not what it's all about, and everyone knows it. It's just damn funny. Besides, any film that can sufficiently twist the plot to have a naked, grown-man squeezing his way out of the anus of a rubber rhino gets my vote any day.

Mark Chambers