Ace Ventura, Jr.: Pet Detective

Ace Ventura, Jr.: Pet Detective
Distributed by Warner Home Video (2009) (worldwide) (DVD)
Morgan Creek International (2008) (non-USA) (theatrical)
Cartoon Network (2009) (USA) (TV)
MG Film (2008) (Croatia) (all media)
Pinema (2008) (Turkey) (all media) (distributor)
Created by Jack Bernstein
Directed by David Mickey Evans
Produced by James G. Robinson
Wayne Morris
Guy McElwaine
David C. Robinson
Written by Jeff Sank
Jason Heimberg
Justin Heimberg
David Mickey Evans
Starring Josh Flitter
Emma Lockhart
Art LaFleur
Reed Alexander
William Haze
Cullen Douglas
Ann Cusack
Ralph Waite
Austin Rogers
Music by Laura Karpman
Cinematography Mark Irwin
Editing by Danny Saphire
Production company Morgan Creek Productions
Four Aces Productions
Budget $7.5 million
Country United States
Language English
Release date March 1, 2009
(Direct-to-Video Release)

Ace Ventura, Jr.: Pet Detective (also known as Ace Ventura Jr. and Ace Ventura 3) is a 2009 telefilm, and the third installment in the Ace Ventura film series. It is a direct to video spin-off sequel to the films Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, although Jim Carrey does not appear in the film. The film began production in Orlando, Florida on September 17, 2007, was directed by David M. Evans and written by Jeff Sank, Jason Heimberg, and Justin Heimberg.[1][2]

Plot

Ace Ventura, Jr. must follow in his father's (Ace Ventura, Sr.'s) footsteps to save his mother from going to jail. In the beginning, Ace is chasing a rat. He catches it, and walks straight into the alligator habitat. Later in a dream Ace sees a panda (Ting Tang) being captured. Soon his mother is blamed for the theft. She asks if she can make one phone call. She calls Rex Ventura, Ace's grandfather. Rex tells Ace the history of the Ventura Family and their relationship with the animals. Rex Ventura is an elderly man with several animals such as a cat, a turtle and a dog which Ace thinks is dead.

On his mother's trial, Ace presented evidence that proves that his mother didn't commit the crime; however, the Ranger, the one that Ace doesn't like, dismissed the evidence.

At school the next day, Ace hears that many of his classmates, including his crush Laura (Emma Lockhart), have lost their pets. Laura has lost her pet emerald green koi fish. Ace goes to school the next day and talks to a boy nicknamed A-Plus. A-Plus has a hidden lab in his locker, which Ace uses as his office. They believe Dr. Sickinger (Cullen Douglas) has stolen the panda because he has created a site called Pandafanatic. Sickinger is a bit insane. It turns out that he used to work for Quenton Pennington, Jr. (Reed Alexander), a rich kid whose family motto is, "What a Pennington wants a Pennington gets." Dr. Sickenger is found to be innocent, so Ace must look for a new culprit. In the end Ace finds that Pennington, Sr. (Brian Patrick Clarke) stole Ting Tang and other famous animals (Tabby the tabby, Princess the lap dog, Freedom the hawk, and Callypso the magic horse), and Pennington, Jr. stole Ace's classmates' pets. His mother's name is finally cleared and is rewarded for his heroics.

Ace's father does not appear in this film. For the most of the first part of the film, Ace's mom told him that his dad disappeared on a business trip when he was just a baby, but she later explains the rest of the story.

Cast

Reception

The film received largely negative critical reception. Film Threat gave the film 1½ stars out of 5, stating "It's disappointing that this is the next, and most likely final step of the Ace Ventura franchise."[3] Common Sense Media gave it 2 out of 5 stars, summing the film up as a "Funny, animal-loving kid lost in crude script."[4] Movie Metropolis also gave a negative review, stating "What was pretty juvenile in the first place becomes literally juvenile in this straightforward kids' romp. If I were a kid, I might like it. But I'm not a kid, and I didn't."[5]

References

  1. ↑ Alrighty Then! Josh Flitter for Third Ace Ventura
  2. ↑ Jeff Sank, Jason Heimberg and Justin Heimberg On Ace Ventura Duty
  3. ↑ "ACE VENTURA JR.: PET DETECTIVE (DVD)". Film Threat. March 12, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Ace Ventura Pet Detective Jr.". Common Sense Media. February 25, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  5. ↑ Puccio, John J (February 18, 2009). "ACE VENTURA JR.: PET DETECTIVE - DVD review". moviemet.com. Retrieved July 28, 2012.

External links