OC LIVE : ‘When Nature Calls,’ Fans of Jim Carrey’s Adolescent Humor Respond

In “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls,” the clueless pet detective (Jim Carrey) leaves an ashram, where he was recovering after failing to rescue a raccoon, for Africa, where he must locate a sacred white bat before two hostile tribes go to war. (Rated PG-13)

*

When Jim Carrey’s around, who cares about plot?

Each scene in this sometimes choppy film is only a fresh excuse to laugh at the character Carrey introduced in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”--a grown-up with a 7-year-old boy trapped inside.

If he’s at a swank party, he puts asparagus under his lip to look like teeth.

If he’s behind the wheel, he ends up trashing the car.

If he sees a pretty woman, his mind lags a few light-years behind his body.

The Tibetan monks at the ashram know him as “the man who bends over and speaks from his rear.” He has taught them to say, “Alrighty then!”

Most kids said the second time around was just as good for them.

“It was just funny (as ‘Pet Detective’),” said Kareen Assassa, 11, of Irvine.

Actually, she said she thought the sequel was even better than the original but had a hard time singling out any particular element.

The whole audience (mostly adults) at a Saturday matinee reacted with “oooohs,” “eeeeuuuuws” and applause to several scenes, notably when Ventura fed a baby bird by regurgitating, joined the local tribe in showing approval by hurling spitballs into a newcomer’s face or climbed out of a mechanical rhino’s rear, making observers think the rhino was giving birth to a human.

Mike Ahmadi, 14, of Irvine, said his favorite scene was when Ventura, smitten with the tribe’s seductive princess, retreated to his hut and got caught “meditating.”

Raul Vega, also 14, also of Irvine, liked Carrey’s repertoire of wide-eyed, elastic faces.

It was hard for anyone not to laugh at scenes of Carrey trying to bond with the animals by picking fleas with the chimps, wallowing in the river with the rhinos or snacking on a zebra with the lions. Is there anyone else who can impersonate himself on rewind--words included?

Cousins Casey McGuire, 14, of Irvine, and Brandon Bailey, 14, of Downey, liked the detective’s trademark pompadour and his African-inspired coiffure that resembled Hercule Poirot’s slicked and curled mustache. “A cool ‘do,” Brandon said.

By now, Casey said, some of Carrey’s routines are wearing a little thin in the theater.

Still, he said, “a lot of the stuff is inspirational at home.” Casey’s older brother, for instance, also is known as a guy who bends over and talks out of his rear.

But Casey said he hasn’t picked up anything himself. “I’m more civilized.”