Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (3 Stars)

I promised my readers that I would be watching a few Jim Carrey films over the next few weeks, so consider this as an attempt to keep my promise. This was the first film that Jim made as the leading actor, and it's the film that got him noticed. It was a big box office success, despite being slammed by the critics. Do I like it? Well, it features Jim's extroverted over-acting, which soon became his trademark. At first it grates, but somehow the more often he repeats it the better it gets. The plot is ridiculous, but it works well. Apart from the plot twist at the end. But I don't want to give any spoilers to those who have never seen it shown on television.

Ace Ventura is a Pet Detective who works in Miami. His job is to find and recapture lost animals. Usually it's dogs, cats and parrots, the usual runaway pets. His big breakthrough comes when he's hired by the Miami Dolphins to find their mascot, Snowflake the dolphin, who's been stolen two weeks before the Superbowl. As the case continues the investigations are complicated by a murder and a kidnapping, so the Miami police tell Ace to back off. But Ace continues. After all, the murder victim is just collateral damage, the case is all about an animal. And so it continues, up until the highly disgusting plot twist. Ugh. Those who have seen the film know what I mean.

Ace Ventura, the character, went on to greater success. Two sequels were made, one with Jim Carrey, the other with a child as a junior pet detective. An animated television series was filmed that ran for three years.

What do my readers think? Do you like it? Do you think I'm unfair only giving it a 3 star rating? I'd love to hear from you.