At the beginning of the 90's Jim Carrey burst onto the scene with his wacky, manic brand of comedy that an era came to either love or hate. The golden year for this introduction was 1994 with the release of three classic 90's comedy films, with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective being the first of the films to be released. Arguably the two that followed, Mask and Dumb & Dumber, were equally responsible for Carrey's springboard to comedy stardom.
The following year came the sequel, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. So its only fair that I review them on their separate merits but like any sequel or trilogy we need to compare the instalments as a whole, so I am gonna review them in the one post but make sure you do get my individual view on each film.
It goes without saying that Jim Carrey's initial burst on the scene was fresh and welcomed by most. There were a number of catchphrases that came out of all three films that year and I remember "Alrighty Then' being banded around my high school playground in comic Carrey rendition.
With Ace Ventura we have the initial opening scene that typifies his vein of humour at its highest intellectual levels, that initially made him such a revered comedy actor, for that is when Carrey is at his best. His ad libbed performance with a 'fragile' box is something that just makes you smile, but its the simplicity and understatedness that makes it so good.
'Like a glove' - Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey)
The premise was brilliant, at the beginning of an era where animal rights were in focus, we have a film that cares to mock and promote at the same time. Ace Ventura is a character that is one with the animals, a Dr Dolittle with a no holds barred desire to solve his case, who holds little respect for other human beings.
So starts the quest for Snowflake, the dolphin, who has been fish napped in the middle of the night in the run in to Super Bowl. This is also in the era where you would get sport placement and real life athletes intrenched into the world of movies, let's not forget Space Jam with Jordan, here we have Dan Marino and the Miami dolphins. Again though, rather than just promote and revere, they are not afraid to poke fun at Marino by portraying him as simple and helpless.
It's these aspects that adhered me to this film and I honestly think this is the best of the early Carrey films. I wouldn't say it's the funniest but it shows all parts of Carrey that I don't believe the others managed until Truman Show again revealed his acting depth. Yes there obviously is his stupid humour but it is with intelligence in this film showing the comedy talent unique to him.
Pre Friends, Courtney Cox is the female lead and I actually think she shows more talent in this film than she has since. After this she became a typecast Monica that I don't think she has ever recovered from and lets face it she isn't very good at anyway, who in my opinion probably the worst of the six 'Friends' performers. Cox shows a level of progression from her previous roles that had showed a potential to become a half decent actress if the right films had come along. That being said its not the best performance you have ever seen and fits into a second rate ensemble cast that clearly didn't have much investment. I suspect Marino was not paid, but instead is cast on the proviso that the film is about the Miami Dolphins.
Sean Young, who I have never rated, is the only other name of note in the cast list and delivers what only can be described as a flat performance devoid of any personality or what seems to be any acting ability. I would like to talk further about her performance but my mum has always said if you haven't got anything nice to say then its best not to say anything at all.
I didn't get bored or disinterested watching this film, but nor would I say it was a comic masterpiece. It is entirely carried by the talent of Carrey and this is noted in every comedy segment of the film, that are only enhanced by the visible strain all the supporting cast have to contain their laughter. Specifically throughout the Psyciatric Hospital segment, you can see Courtney Cox teeter on the edge and you see David Margulies (who plays the doctor) shake as he also tries to contain himself. It's only clever editing and alternative angles that stop you from seeing them outright laugh.
"Finkle & Einhorn, Einhorn & Finkle..." - Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey)
The climax of the film is one of those era defining aspects that unfortunately will no longer be publicly funny due to its lack of sensitivity and clear prejudice to a segment of society that was acceptably outcast at the time. The fact that 'Finkle is Einhorn, Einhorn is a man...' is followed by every male characters OTT disgust that they have in fact kissed a transgender person, along with the soundtrack to 'The Crying Game' just demonstrates how humour changes over the decades. What was acceptable and publicly funny would never be welcome in today's society. Are these scenes funny? Yes they are, but only if you take them in the comic tone they are meant. Would a man be disgusted to know he had been duped into kissing another man? Yes he would. Would they react in the over the top manner portrayed here, no they wouldn't. But then I am a straight white male who has never faced the prejudice that is so evidently portrayed in these closing segments. I personally believe it has no place in modern comedy but can appreciate it in the tone it is meant and still have a little snigger when I watch it. But as I say, this is a segment of the film that is moulded by its era and is not a blatant prejudicial dig.
A year later, a new writer and director took on the mantel of the sequel, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. I can only imagine the studio gave the instruction to make it more family friendly and play as much as possible to Jim Carrey's formula for success. Gone is any intelligence, any use of Carrey's natural ability and in comes a kid friendly Ace Ventura with comic hairsprayed quiff and exaggerated jokes. I often find myself telling my four year old son that continually repeating the same joke isn't funny, over time repeating the same thing isn't original anymore and it can actually just be annoying, thats the new Ace Ventura.
As a result I find Carrey annoying through most of it, the jokes that were funny and original in the first film are now rehashed, dumbed down and have lost all humour they ever had. Unfortunately that is the vein throughout the film, with only glimpses of anything original or unique and one glimpse of the unique Jim Carrey talent seen in the first.
The ensemble cast clearly had more money invested, but not to any note that it really needs any development. You can see the cast list on the box of the DVD and for me that is the extent they bare on the movie as a whole. Again it is the Jim Carrey show but for kids, which is disappointing given that kids will still find the first film funny and then appreciate it more when they grow to understand the jokes.
The only catchphrase that comes from the sequel is Ace's mispronunciation of the tribal greeting and that's only cause it is actually funny to repeat and not cause it's a funny segment of the film.
"Bumblebee Tuna" - Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey)
I have to mention the one scene that genuinely has me in tears every time I watch it. Ace Ventura being birthed through the anal air hole of a mechanical rhino is quite possible the funniest and most digusting comedy scene I have ever seen. It's the one rare moment where once again Carrey is allowed to bring his talent to the party and not be constrained by the over emphasised character he is forced to play.
Other than the rhino scene I didn't laugh much and was thoroughly put off by the constraints placed on Carrey. It was a repeat after repeat of the same jokes that had been made famous by the first film. In my opinion this is the same in every Carrey film until Truman and Spotless Mind, where he once again gets to play a character that isn't restricted and type cast by the success of the three films in 1994.
Overall, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, is original, intelligently stupid and show's Carrey for the talent he is. In contrast, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is just stupid, with no originality that restricts Carrey to the commercial parts of his talent, that are used, processed and put into a repeatable structure of comedy that sells. So many studios repeat this failing with original comedy greats in the quest to make the quick dollar and unfortunately these greats make the same mistakes Carrey did with his late 90's career.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Farquaad's Rating - 3 star or 6/10
IMDB - 6.9/10 (258,484)
Metascore - 37 (14 Critic Reviews)
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
Farquaad's Rating - 2 star or 4/10
IMDB - 6.4/10 (190,166)
Metascore - 45 (17 Critic Reviews)
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