ACE VENTURA 2: WHEN NATURE CALLS
A film review by Peter Wels
Copyright 1995 Peter Wels
Starring Jim Carrey Directed by Rating: PG Score: *1/2 (out of *****)
I've got to admit it... I'm a huge Jim Carrey fan. I loved the first ACE VENTURA, as well as THE MASK and DUMB AND DUMBER--and even in BATMAN FOREVER (which was a pretty awful movie), Carrey was one of the few people to come off looking reasonably good. Until I saw ACE VENTURA 2, I had no idea how people could find the guy annoying.
Sadly, ACE VENTURA 2 shows just how irritating and annoying Carrey can be. Carrey goes through the same schtick he went through in the first Ace movie, but this time it is no longer funny--it is just a rehash of many of the same jokes used in Ace I.
The plot sees pet detective Ace Ventura retiring after failing to save a raccoon (in a reasonable Cliffhanger spoof). Soon he is called out of retirement to find a bat which was kidnapped and, if not returned in four days, will cause two warring African tribes to destroy each other. Once again, it's up to Ace to save the day, using his uncanny detective skills.
Those who have been disappointed by Carrey's more restrained roles in the films following the first ACE VENTURA may be glad to see him over-acting to the best of his ability, but some may be disappointed by the fact that this sequel doesn't capture the feel of the original.
The original benefited from what looked to be Carrey's constant hyped-up improv sequences, which were hysterically funny. Here, however, the tighter script (which is reminiscent of the old Disney telemovies) takes the improvised material from the first, and shamelessly recycles it in the new movie, giving Carrey little chance to improvise. Instead, his extremely funny manner has been reduced to just walking around stupidly.
But one of the biggest problems I had was with the character of Ventura himself. In the first movie, he was always cool, and one step ahead of every one else--perfect for Carrey's off-the-wall approach. But here, Ventura is made to look a lot stupider, and is often made out as the straight guy--a role which is definitely not Carrey's style.
There are definitely some very funny moments, but they are few and far between. They are also nowhere near as funny as anything Carrey did in the first ACE VENTURA, or even DUMB AND DUMBER.
-- For info, comments and feedback, contact me via email at peter_wels@gabriel.macmedia.com.au.
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