Jackass Forever (2022).
Directed by Jeff Tremaine
Starring Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Erhen McGhehey, scorpions, bulls, and bears
The Stage.
Most of the original Jackass crew (and some newcomers) come back for one final round of psychotic self-inflicted pain.
The Review.
I started watching Jackass when it first aired on MTV in the early 00’s, and instantly fell in love with the group. It wasn’t the ridiculous stunts they were performing, like being hit by bulls or kicking each other in the nuts, it was the camaraderie they had with each other. It just genuinely looked like they were having a good time, and even after they took an unexpected soccer ball to the face, they helped each other up and applauded the resolve. The series started with pretty crude stunts, like sitting in a metal shopping cart and being rocketed into a curb, sending the participant tumbling into bushes, but as the gang got more popular, the budgets went up, leading to more elaborate, expensive stunts like shooting people out of cannons or letting a large alligator loose in Bam Margera’s parent’s home. The popularity explosion eventually led to a series of movies, seemingly culminating with Jackass 3D in 2010.
From that point, people seemed to just go in different directions. Johnny Knoxville, the face of Jackass, was becoming a legitimate movie star, cast as the comic relief in vehicles opposite The Rock and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steve-O got clean and started doing standup, Ryan Dunn died in a drunk driving incident, and Bam Margera spiraled into alcoholism and legal troubles (troubles that ultimately ended up keeping him out of this film). Now, twenty years after the release of Jackass: The Movie, the boys are back to put themselves through unexplainable amounts of pain, and as usual, they’ve brought along a few celebrity guests along the way.
It’s tough to review a Jackass movie, because if you like the Jackass style, you’ll probably have some fun here. It’s the same stuff that you’ve seen a million times before, but it seems to hurt a little more knowing that the guys are like fifty years old. Several times I felt myself questioning why a man with a wife, three kids, and millions of dollars in the bank would be flying out of cannons and getting hit by bulls, and that’s probably why I felt different watching this one than the previous ones. I thought to myself, “Maybe I’ve just grown out of Jackass.” When I watched Knoxville doing insane stunts at 28 years old, I was 18. They appeared to be the way I felt - invincible, untouchable, incapable of feeling pain. I didn’t do a whole lot of dumb shit when I was younger, but I’d be lying if I said Knoxville’s penchant for laughing off pain wasn’t an inspiration for my own backyard wrestling exploits during my LWA championship run of 2001. I’m forty. I’ve aged to the point that if I tried to wrestle now, I’d feel it for days afterward. If I twist the wrong way and haven’t fully stretched for the day, my back might go out. I also know how concussions feel and what the long term effects are. Finally, I know what it’s like having human beings that actually rely on you for a lot, each and every day. I’ve become…slightly responsible.
There are basically two kinds of Jackass stunts - those that inflict immense amounts of pain, and those pranks that are funny from an observational level, like Knoxville’s Irving Zisman old man character who ended up getting his own feature film called Bad Grandpa in 2013. I enjoy the situational pranks much more than I do the stunts simply designed to inflict physical pain. Unfortunately physical pain is the main feature in this film, and most of it is designed to smash the dick and/or balls, which has always been my least favorite staple of Jackass but seems to be one of their favorites. These include an elaborate opening featuring a painted green Dickzilla, and a cup check, which involves Erhen McGhehey getting punched in the dick by a heavyweight boxer, getting a softball chucked at it by a world class softball pitcher, and getting a hockey puck shot at it, among others. The celebrity cameos are some of my favorite stunts, since you know they’re going to go relatively easy on them when compared to their normal crew who’s used to the madness. People like Eric Andre, Machine Gun Kelly, and Tyler the Creator all appear in pretty amusing moments.
The End.
Jackass is what it always has been, and I think where you’re at in life might dictate how much you like it. While I can’t say that I left this movie particularly enjoying most of the painful moments, I will admit that it was just kind of nice seeing all of these guys together again. It honestly felt like reuniting and having a beer with old friends for a few hours. Knoxville looks strangely hot with a head of gray hair, Steve-O has never looked better, hell, Bunny the Lifeguard makes an appearance. There was even a touching Ryan Dunn tribute during the credits. I was a little sad that Bam couldn’t get his shit together to appear, but it was still a nostalgic trip down memory lane. That being said, after the inevitable Jackass 4.5 bonus Blu-ray, I honestly hope I never see these guys in this show again and they’re able to finally ride off into the sunset. Frankly, I’m glad they all made it out of this film alive.
