(Long Island, N.Y.) I’ve been a huge fan of Jackass over the years. The 2000-2002 MTV television show involved a group of mental cases, led by one Johnny Knoxville, as they engaged in all manner of pranks and stunts, most of which involved pain, injury, nudity and/or some form of bodily excrement. After the series ended, it spawned two films whose R-ratings gave the deranged Jackass crew the freedom to do things they could only dream about on television. Giving a freak like Steve-O free reign to do whatever he wants is truly a horrifying thought, I know, but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t hilarious.
And now we have Jackass 3D, whose title obviously tells you that…well, it’s the third movie, and it’s in 3D. But while watching this movie, for the first time, I found myself thinking that maybe the whole Jackass thing has finally run its course. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still some stunts that are freaking inspired – for example, the “Poo Cocktail Supreme” skit – and it’s still really funny, but, overall, things seemed a bit tired this time around, like
they were
trying too hard to come up with material. Some of the stuff we’ve seen before (the “Bad Grandpa” bit is revisited… again), and some of it misses the mark. But when it’s on, Jackass 3D is ON.
Jackass 3D follows the same formula as all of the other installments. There’s no plot, just a series of crazy skits involving various members of the crew where they either engage in some stunt that’s designed to hurt them and/or make them throw up, play pranks on the unsuspecting public, or play practical jokes on each other…ones that, again, are designed to hurt them and/or make them throw up. It’s juvenile, sure, but it also speaks to the stupid adolescent inside every male walking the planet Earth.
There is one innovation
to the series in Jackass 3D, and it isn’t the 3D (which doesn’t really add
much to the proceedings, although the 3D vomit was impressive); it’s the use of new high-speed cameras that can record at 1,000 frames a second, making for hyper slow-motion tomfoolery. I wish Bam could have a whole movie devoted to his
‘Rocky” skits, where he’d douse his unsuspecting opponent’s mug with water from one side and follow-up with a boxing glove-clad fist from the other. Seeing every resulting drop of water and ripple of flesh in glorious detail just brought the skits to a whole other level of awesome.
Of course, Jackass is known for stepping over the lines of good taste, and in 3D it continues to do so gleefully. I’ve never been a big fan of poo humor, and if I never see Dave England explode a geyser of it out of his ass again in a movie, I’ll be a happy boy. I also didn’t need to see Wee Man super-glued to Preston Lacy in a 69 position…like the horrors of war, it’s one of those things you can never un-see.
One weird thing about Jackass’ enduring popularity is the fact that we get to watch them age over the years. For the most part, the gang is embracing their late-30s well, but several are starting to put on a pound or two, save Knoxville, who actually looked rather gaunt. Speaking of Knoxville, he continues to be the funny and charismatic lead that holds the show together…not to mention the guy who probably puts his well-being on the line the most. Needless to say, he once again takes on a few rampaging bulls, groin-first. Also of note is the fact that, with Steve-O’s well-documented addiction problems seemingly behind him, he’s still just as self-destructive…perhaps even more so than before. And, and for fans of exposed penises, Bam and Chris “Party Boy” Pontius supply plenty, so don’t you worry.
So, for Jackass fans, fans of gross humor, fans of painful humor, and fans of gross/painful humor, Jackass 3D should satisfy you greatly, but try not to get bummed if you get a “been there, done that” kind of feeling half-way through. I’d be sorely tempted to say that this is probably the very end for the franchise, but A) that’s what I said about Jackass Number Two, and B) Jackass 3D’s opening broke Fall box office records, so it might be safe to say that there’s a very good chance of that “Son of Jackass” skit at the end of the first movie actually becoming a reality at some point in the future. As a fan, I sure wouldn’t mind, as long as they took a fresh approach to things next time around.
