Charles Darwin had the gene. As did Jacques Cousteau. But does Ace Ventura, Jr. have it?

The love of animals, wacky harebrained theories and outrageous costumes topped off by burgeoning hair are what make a true pet detective.

Physically, Ace Jr. (Josh Flitter) more than fits that mold, but his mother’s condescension and the lack of a father figure in his life are the only things preventing him from finally donning the Hawaiian shirt and red striped pants.

After a world-famous panda bear goes missing, Ace’s animal handler mother gets sent to prison on claims that she kidnapped the endangered creature. Not to worry: Ace is on the case! Along with his ragtag band of preteen friends, the junior investigator sets out to find the missing animal and clear the family name. All righty then!

The film plays like a “whodunit” and left me reeling for the 90-minute duration. Full of twists and turns and genuinely hilarious adolescent escapades, Ace and company leave no stone unturned, stopping at nothing to find the panda-thieving mastermind. Flitter’s performance is spirited and enthusiastic, which will make viewers forget all about Jim Carrey who declined to reprise the role he made famous.

Although geared toward children, the themes and motifs explored in the picture are deep and layered. At the center of all the topical humor and flatulence jokes is a positive, self-evaluative moral message that instills a sense of heart into a series once overrun with immaturity.

Ace’s dilemma is simple, yet wholly difficult: To discover who committed the crime and free his mother, he must first discover himself. Being just like everybody else is less important than being like no other, the young detective finds.

“You’ll never be like anyone else,” Grandpa Rex Ventura tells his grandson in an important scene, “because you’re one in a million! Just like your ancestors. Just like your father.”

Similarly, “Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective” is one in a million and is certain to fly under most radars like the other solid sequels to popular Carrey movies.

This crisp, free-spirited adventure delivers big laughs and some serious fun for the whole family. I’m surprised it didn’t pull a “Slumdog Millionaire” and bypass the straight-to-DVD constriction that has been the bane for so many other great kids’ flicks.