Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Infobox film Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (also known as Ace Ventura 2: When Nature Calls) is a 1995 American detective comedy film and the sequel to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), and the second installment of the Ace Ventura franchise. Jim Carrey reprises his role as the title character Ace Ventura, a detective who specializes in retrieval of tame and captive animals that have escaped, who has been summoned to sub-Saharan Africa to locate a missing bat. Ian McNeice, Simon Callow, and Sophie Okonedo co-star. Tommy Davidson, who co-starred with Carrey on the show In Living Color, makes a cameo appearance in the film.

The film was written and directed by Carrey's close friend Steve Oedekerk, who had also collaborated in the production and as a character consultant for the first film.

The film was produced by Morgan Creek Entertainment and was released on November 10, 1995, by Warner Bros., but unlike the previous installment, it received mainly negative reviews from critics, despite being financially successful, earning a total of $212.4 million at the box office against a budget of $30 million.

Plot

After failing to save a raccoon from falling to its death, Ace Ventura becomes depressed and joins a monastery. He is approached by Fulton Greenwall about a job. The Monastery's Abbott, desperate to be rid of Ace's antics, tells Ace he has achieved enlightenment and should leave with Fulton.

Greenwall wants Ventura to find the sacred white bat, Shikaka. Ace arrives in Nibia and meets with consul Vincent Cadby. Ace begins his investigation, but must overcome his fear of bats. He eventually befriends the tribe's princess, who tries to seduce Ace. Ace admits his oath to clerical celibacy. Ace also befriends the prince, who assists Ace. Ace's investigation involves eliminating suspects and enduring the escalating threats between the Wachati and the Wachootoo. Ace suspects the medicine-man of the Wachootoo of taking the bat, attempts to infiltrate the Wachootoo village, but is immediately captured.

The Wachootoo believe Ace as the "White Devil", and they are convinced he wants to fight them and have him go through many challenges to gain their trust. He passes them all, and his final challenge is a "Circle of Death" fight with their toughest warrior, who defeats Ace. Despite losing, Ace's comical antics entertain the Wachootoo, and release Ace and Ouda but warn them war will be tomorrow at Noon.

As he departs the Wachootoo village, the Wachootoo shoot Ace one final time with a dart for laughs. Ace suddenly realizes a tranquilizer dart he was shot with earlier is not the same as the Wachootoo's darts, and was carved from an acala. This leads him to find two poachers with the bat. They tranquilize Ace and tie him to a raft which is sent over a waterfall.

Ace survives and continues to investigate how the poachers are involved with the war between the tribes. Ace consults the Abbott via spiritual projection. With the Abbott's help, Ace deduces that Cadby has taken the bat in order to turn the tribes against each other so that Cadby can seize control of the lucrative market for guano.

When Ace confronts Cadby about his suspicions, Cadby confesses to the plot, explaining that he hired Ace as an alibi. The local law enforcement is loyal to Cadby, and Ace is arrested. Ace summons various animals to facilitate his escape and subsequent attack on Cadby's mansion. Cadby tries to shoot Ace, but is stopped by Greenwall. Cadby escapes with the bat in a Rover, but Ace follows him in a monster truck, eventually overtaking him and destroying his car.

Ace returns the bat just as the tribes are about to fight each other on the battlefield. Cadby is noticed by Ouda, who calls him the "White Devil" and incites both tribes to pursue him. Cadby is able to escape them but then encounters a gorilla, who mistakes him for a mate. The Wachati Princess is married to the Wachootoo Prince, who is revealed to be the warrior who defeated Ace during the "Circle of Death" challenge earlier. It is discovered that the bride is no longer a virgin, on Ace's account. Peace between the tribes is still achieved when the two tribes join and chase after Ace.

Cast

• Jim Carrey as Ace Ventura
• Ian McNeice as Fulton Greenwall
• Simon Callow as Vincent Cadby
• Maynard Eziashi as Prince Ouda
• Bob Gunton as Burton Quinn
• Sophie Okonedo as the Wachati princess
• Tommy Davidson as Tiny Warrior / Wachootoo prince
• Adewalé as Hitu
• Damon Standifer as the Wachati chief
• Arsenio 'Sonny' Trinidad as Ashram monk / Grand abbot
• Danny Daniels as Wachootoo shaman
• Andrew Steel as Mick Katie
• Bruce Spence as Gahjii
• Michael Reid McKay as Skinny husband / Monopoly guy
• Kristin Norton as Pompous woman

Production

Filming

Filming began under Tom DeCerchio, who later directed Celtic Pride (1996).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Because of the success of the first film, Morgan Creek Entertainment Group gave lead actor Jim Carrey the power to decide the director. In April 1995, Carrey had DeCerchio replaced with Steve Oedekerk, who had worked on the film's predecessor as a script consultant and wrote the screenplay for this film, but had no previous experience with directing feature films. Spike Jonze wanted to direct the film, but Carrey turned him down as he also had no experience but he mainly did not know him well enough. Carrey claims this to be one of his biggest regrets.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, Carrey reiterated he does not regret enlisting Oedekerk to direct as they were friends with creative similarities, which included improvising, changing scenes during filming, and had a vast understanding of the main character.<ref name="NY">Template:Cite web</ref> Carrey was sometimes absent from the set which caused the production to go behind schedule.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In June 1995, scenes were shot in South Carolina.<ref name=NY/> The following month, filming took place outside Hondo, near San Antonio, Texas.<ref name="Rolling">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Part of the film was also shot in British Columbia, Canada. The film was shot in Super 35. Carrey was paid $10 million, a third of the entire budget, for his role due to Oedekerk's authority as director.<ref name=NY/>

Music

Soundtrack

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is a 1995 soundtrack on this film by composer Robert Folk.

1. "Africa (What Made You So Strong)" - 3:28 (Johnny Clegg and Savuka)
2. "Spirits in the Material World" – 4:41 (Sting and Pato Banton)
3. "Secret Agent Man" – 2:16 (Blues Traveler)
4. "Don't Change" – 3:41 (Goo Goo Dolls)
5. "Burnin' Rubber" – 3:18 (Mr. Mirainga)
6. "Boll Weevil" – 3:17 (The Presidents of the United States of America)
7. "Blur the Technicolor" – 4:09 (White Zombie)
8. "Watusi Rodeo" – 2:35 (The Reverend Horton Heat)
9. "Here Comes the Night" – 3:28 (Native)
10. "Jungle Groove" – 5:13 (Montell Jordan)
11. "Ife" – 4:23 (Angélique Kidjo)
12. "My Pet" – 2:47 (Matthew Sweet)
13. "It's Alright" – 4:54 (Blessid Union of Souls)
14. "Ace in Africa" – 4:40 (Robert Folk)

Release

Theatrical

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls originally premiered on November 8, 1995, at the Regency Village Theater, and was released two days later on November 10, 1995.<ref name="mojo" />

Home media

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls was released on VHS on March 12, 1996, on DVD on October 28, 1997, and Blu-ray by Warner Home Video on September 3, 2013,<ref>Template:Citation</ref> and on April 23, 2019, by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Reception

Box office

The film grossed $37,804,076 during its opening weekend, taking the #1 spot.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the U.S. and Canada, the film grossed $108.3 million, and in other territories, it grossed $104 million. The worldwide gross was $212.3 million. Against its $30 million budget, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls was a major financial success,<ref name="mojo">Template:Cite web</ref> surpassing its predecessor.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 23% based on 30 reviews, with an average rating of 4.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Nature Calls in this Ace Ventura sequel, and it's answered by the law of diminishing returns".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On Metacritic, the film received a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B+ on scale of A to F.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Accolades

1996 ASCAP Award

• Top Box Office Films – Robert Folk (Won)

1996 American Comedy Award

• Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) – Jim Carrey (Nominated)

1996 Kid's Choice Awards

• Favorite Movie – (Won)
• Favorite Movie Actor – Jim Carrey (Won)

1996 MTV Movie Awards

• Best Male Performance – Jim Carrey (Won)
• Best Comedic Performance – Jim Carrey (Won)
• Best Kiss – Jim Carrey and Sophie Okonedo (Nominated)

1996 Razzie Awards

• Worst Remake or Sequel – James G. Robinson (Nominated)

1996 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Worst Picture – James G. Robinson (Nominated)
• Worst Actor – Jim Carrey (Nominated)
• Most Painfully Unfunny Comedy – James G. Robinson (Won)
• Worst Sequel – James G. Robinson (Won)
• The Sequel Nobody Was Clamoring For – James G. Robinson (Nominated)

Sequel

Template:Main A standalone made-for-TV sequel, titled Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective, was released in 2009 to poor reception.

In March 2021, there were reports that a direct sequel under the working title Ace Ventura 3 is in development at Amazon Studios.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Pat Casey and Josh Miller, writers of Sonic the Hedgehog, were attached as writers for the film.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Although there are no official plans for the film, Jim Carrey joked that he would star in the movie if Christopher Nolan were to direct the film.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Template:IMDb title
• Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls exclusive clip and still licensing at Visual Icon
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