The film begins with a parody of the movie Cliffhanger , where Ace fails to save a raccoon from falling to its death. Distraught, he retreats to a Tibetan monastery. He is eventually lured out of retirement by Fulton Greenwall (played by Ian McNeice) to find , a rare white bat and sacred animal of the Wachati tribe in the fictional African country of Nibia.
In the pantheon of 1990s comedy, few characters are as distinctly loud, physically demanding, or undeniably weird as Ace Ventura. Portrayed by the rubber-faced genius Jim Carrey, the pet detective became an instant cultural icon following the surprise success of the 1994 original. Naturally, Hollywood demanded a follow-up. The result was 1995’s Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (often searched for by fans simply as ). ace ventura.2
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is the cinematic equivalent of a sugar rush. It is loud, messy, frequently nonsensical, and leaves a strange aftertaste. But it is also relentlessly energetic, fearless in its commitment to absurdity, and anchored by one of the most physically gifted comedians of all time. It is not a good movie in the traditional sense, but it is an essential one for fans of 90s comedy. Approach with nostalgia goggles firmly affixed and a tolerance for rhino-birth slime. The film begins with a parody of the
"A relentless, one-joke movie where the joke is Jim Carrey's ability to act like a hyperactive 10-year-old who's had too much sugar." – Roger Ebert In the pantheon of 1990s comedy, few characters
However, the film is notably lighter on memorable supporting characters compared to the original. Courtney Cox’s Melissa Robinson was a grounding love interest in the first film; in the sequel, the romantic subplot is virtually non-existent. Ace’s companion in Africa is Ouda, a naive translator played by Tommy Davidson lookalike Maynard Eziashi. Their dynamic leans heavily into the "fish out of water" trope, but ultimately, the film belongs entirely to Carrey.
You cannot write about without addressing the elephant (or rhino) in the room. The climactic scene where Ace wears a hollowed-out rhino suit, only to have it break down, forcing him to crawl, sweat, and ultimately emerge via birth, is often called the grossest scene in 90s comedy.
Today, looking back, feels less like a movie and more like a pressure release valve. It is a film unafraid to be stupid, loud, and juvenile—but stupid with the precision of a Swiss watch.
