Jackass Forever
Director: Jeff Tremaine
Writer: Johnny Knoxcille, Spike Jonze, Dave England, Jason “Wee Man” Acuna, Eric Andre, Derrick Beckles, Colton Dunn, Nick Kreiss, Preston Lacy, Knate Lee, Bam Margera, Ehren McGhehey, Chris Pontius, Sarah Sherman, Steve-O, Jeff Tremaine, Andrew Weinberg (basically everyone who is in the movie wrote it because they wrote/created their own stunts)
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Rachel Wolfson, Spike Jonze, Jeff Tremaine, Ryan Dunn, Jason “Wee Man” Acuna, Ehren McGhehey, Dave England, Chris Raab, Preston Lacy, Tony Belleci, Tyler the Creator Machine Gun Kelly, Eric Andre
Reason for watching: New release and I have never seen a Jackass movie.
Number of times I’ve watched it: first time viewing
***
Here’s an odd thought: if there were not so many penises on display in this movie my mother would love it. There is just something about watching men put themselves in physical danger that inspires awe and creates comedy. Whether it is falling from hilarious heights, running into walls, licking a taser, or getting a flip-flop to the groin, it can incite laughter pretty easily. The way that these guys are willing to put themselves in harm’s way just to get a laugh out of their buddies and the audiences is honestly some of the most unique filmmaking I have ever seen.
Jackass Forever is the fourth installment in the Jackass franchise. It follows Johnny Knoxville and his merry band of stuntmen/fearless friends as they perform dangerous and daring feats that I would never dream of trying. The movie is best defined as a kind of documentary, although the best thing comparison I can think of would be a compilation of “fails” on youtube. One after another these stunts come. There’s a variety of dangerous exercises as well; everything from two men sticking their heads basically playing a game of chicken with a tarantula to Knoxville himself try to perform a magic trick while an angry bull is charging him.
The level of commitment these stuntmen have to their craft is impressive. It is almost like watching of a group of 13-year-old boys see which of them can last the longest in a slap fight or get launched the highest on the trampoline. The comradery and sense of fun between them is almost unparalleled. You know that they truly care about each other because whenever one of them takes a spill too hard or gets too scared they are there to support them, help them up, and then slap them in the groin again or tase them because that is what these friends do.
Speaking of groin, the only real criticism I have for this movie is just how often I was subjected to seeing another man’s penis. I understand it is fun to watch a man get punched in his weak spot by a heavyweight Mixed-Martial-Arts champion, but you might have taken it too far when you display a man’s fully erect penis being displayed as a puppet or his testicles being used as a speed bag for a pair of robotic punching hands. Can it be funny? Sure. Is it gross? Yes.
While I would not call this high-quality entertainment in the least, it is certainly something to enjoy. In the stories I hear about this movie, it sounds like some of the best group entertainment anyone can find. Throw it on the TV with your friends and grab a drink and lose your mind laughing. It is such a simple formula that one cannot help but respect and enjoy it.
6/10
Until I see another one.