Let's be real for a second. If you grew up in the 90s, you probably tried to talk out of your butt at least once. It was a weird time. Jim Carrey wasn't just a movie star; he was a living, breathing cartoon that had somehow escaped into our reality. And while everyone points to the first movie as the "classic," Ace Ventura When Nature Calls is actually the one that pushed the absurdity into another dimension.
It’s loud. It’s messy. It’s frequently offensive. Yet, it was a massive hit.
In 1995, Jim Carrey was untouchable. He had just come off a three-hit streak in 1994 with Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber. People forget that he almost didn't do a sequel. Carrey has famously been "one and done" with most of his roles, but for some reason, he went to Africa (or rather, a ranch in Texas that looked like Africa) to find a missing bat.
What followed was a production so chaotic it makes the movie look tame.
The Director Drama Nobody Remembers
Most people think sequels are easy money, but this one was a nightmare. Initially, Tom DeCerchio was hired to direct. He didn't last. Carrey, who now had the power to move mountains after his $100 million successes, had him replaced with his buddy Steve Oedekerk.
Oedekerk had been a consultant on the first film, but he’d never directed a feature before.
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This was a huge gamble. Carrey actually turned down Spike Jonze for the job because Jonze was "too green" at the time. Can you imagine a Spike Jonze version of Ace Ventura When Nature Calls? It would have been a fever dream. Carrey later said he regretted that choice, though his chemistry with Oedekerk is what gives the movie its specific, unhinged energy.
- The Budget: $30 million (half of which went to Carrey’s salary).
- The Box Office: Over $212 million worldwide.
- The Critics: They absolutely hated it. Rotten Tomatoes has it at a dismal 23%.
But audiences didn't care about "diminishing returns." They wanted to see a man emerge naked from a mechanical rhino’s backside.
That Rhino Scene and the "PG" Rating Struggle
If you ask anyone about this movie, they mention the rhino. Honestly, it’s probably the peak of physical comedy in the 90s. The scene was filmed in Hondo, Texas, at the 777 Ranch. The crew built a mechanical rhino, and Carrey spent hours inside it, drenched in fake "fluids" to make the birth look... authentic.
It’s gross. It’s hilarious. It’s pure Carrey.
Interestingly, the movie struggled with ratings globally. In the UK, the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) went to town on it. They cut scenes of Ace miming masturbation in silhouette, a joke about a man’s "balls showing," and even a bit where Ace pushes a pregnant woman’s stomach to propel a baby across a hut.
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The version we saw in the States was already pushing the PG-13 envelope, but the international "PG" versions were practically different movies.
Why the Humor is... Complicated Now
We have to talk about the elephant—or the bat—in the room. If you rewatch the movie today, parts of it are hard to sit through. The depiction of the Wachati and Wachootoo tribes is rooted in every "clueless foreigner" trope available in 1995.
Carrey himself has reportedly expressed some discomfort with how the native characters were handled. While Ace mocks the British colonizers (like the stuffy Vincent Cadby played by Simon Callow) just as much as the tribes, the power dynamic is different. It’s a product of its time that hasn't aged particularly well.
Yet, the movie remains a staple because it captures a performer at his absolute peak of physical capability. Carrey was "at war" with the producers during filming, often getting ill and dealing with a strained atmosphere on set. You don't see that on screen. You just see the energy.
The Financial Ripple Effect
Ace Ventura When Nature Calls wasn't just a sequel; it was a launchpad. Because this movie doubled the box office of the first one, it gave Carrey the leverage to become the first actor to command a $20 million upfront salary for The Cable Guy.
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He broke the ceiling for what a "funny guy" was worth in Hollywood.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to revisit this piece of 90s history, keep these details in mind for your next trivia night or viewing:
- The Jeep: You can actually visit the 777 Ranch in Texas and ride in the zebra-striped Jeep from the film.
- The "Monopoly Guy": The actor Michael Reid McKay, who played the "Skinny Husband" Ace mocks at the party, is a legend in the creature-acting world. He was also in Batman & Robin and X2.
- The Soundtrack: It’s a weird mix. You’ve got Rob Zombie, Matthew Sweet, and Angélique Kidjo. It captures that mid-90s "let's put everything on a CD" vibe perfectly.
Next time you’re scrolling through streaming services, don’t just dismiss it as a "dumb sequel." It's a fascinating look at what happens when a studio gives a comedic genius total control and a mechanical rhino.
To get the full experience, look for the unrated or "International" versions if you can find them. They contain the small, weird character beats that Steve Oedekerk and Carrey improvised on the fly, many of which were trimmed for time in the theatrical U.S. cut. Pay close attention to the "Slinky" scene on the stairs—it was a real attempt at a world record that failed in the most hilarious way possible.