Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

Directed by Steve Oedenkirk. Starring Jim Carrey, Ian McNeice, Simon Callow, Bob Gunton, Maynard Eziashi, Sophie Okonedo, Damon Standifer, Danny D. Daniels, Arsenio Trinidad, Tommy Davidson, Bruce Spence, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Andrew Steel. [PG-13]

After retreating to a Tibetan monastery to recover from a tragedy, the titular pet detective is approached by a representative for an African consulate to aid in finding a sacred white bat for the native Wachati tribe to avoid war with the rival Wachootoos. Possibly even sillier than its predecessor (with diminished interest afforded to the mystery for the animal dick to solve), but even though there are the expected duds and misfires (and plenty of them), there are also more laughs and better visual gags overall; bonus: most of the best bits don’t completely rely on the obnoxious side of the protagonist’s personality (the Cliffhanger spoof, the long journey of a Slinky, and mishaps with a couple of spears are particularly funny). Callbacks to the first film are a mixed bag—like the movie itself—but there’s a laugh-out-loud moment when reprising the “like a glove” proclamation, and he only vocalizes from betwixt his butt cheeks once (one time too many, but at least it’s treated almost as a throwaway moment). Aggressively politically-incorrect when it comes to the tribal stereotypes, but at least most of the groups he harasses have it coming: poachers, big game hunters, cultural exploitationists, etc. “Followed” a decade-and-a-half later by the direct-to-DVD Ace Venture Jr.: Pet Detective (without Carrey’s involvement, if that wasn’t obvious).

61/100