On October 1, 2000, the reality comedy series Jackass premiered on MTV and became an instant hit. Despite numerous controversies, the show ran for three seasons, spawned several spin-off shows, and even a feature film in 2002. The movie grossed $79.5 million worldwide on a budget of $5 million despite its poor critical reception. Though they intended for the movie to be the finale, the crew later made Jackass Number Two in 2006. The sequel grossed even more at the box office and received higher praise than the original. In 2010, Jackass 3D hit theaters and became the highest-grossing film of the series, making over $170 million worldwide. The spin-off movie Bad Grandpa hit theaters in 2013, making over $150 million worldwide and earning an Oscar nomination. After years of discussion and speculation, the long-awaited fourth main film, Jackass Forever, hit theaters in 2022.
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Synopsis
The film opens with an extended sequence that pays tribute to kaiju movies, except the monster is Chris Pontius’ phallus. After that, the movie turns into a series of stunts and pranks pulled by the old crew and new members. We see Johnny Knoxville attacked by a bull, Steve-O’s nethers used as a beehive, and Wee Man pecked by vultures. The newcomers – Sean “Poopies” McInerney, Zach Holmes, Jasper Dolphin, Rachel Wolfson, and Eric Manaka – are put through the wringer. They get stung on the lip by scorpions, glide onto cactuses, and ride a bicycle into a fake wall. The old crew revisits some of their old stunts, including The Cup Test and The Underwater Fart. Some of the guests featured include Tyler, the Creator, Eric André, Machine Guy Kelly, Rob Dyrdek, and Francis Ngannou. In true Jackass fashion, no one should attempt to replicate the stunts performed.
Review
Usually, sequels made years later tend not to be very good or even watchable, but Jackass Forever is an exception. Going into this, I was worried the returning cast was too old, and the new people would drag it down. Thankfully, the newcomers are just as funny as the old guard, who still have that daredevil energy they’re known for. Just the fact that the nearly 50-year-old Steve-O was willing to have bees on his Johnson is impressive. The new talent held their own and showed that they were just as willing to endure punishment as the oldies. There were several instances where I squirmed in my chair and laughed harder than I have in a while. Even the stunts from the trailer still got me gasping at how far they went with it. Some bits don’t land as well as others, but even those are still highly entertaining.
This movie isn’t going to convert anyone who isn’t a Jackass fan, but you’ll probably know that going in. Like every movie in this series, this has tons of crude humor, foul language, and total disregard for one’s safety. It’s easy to criticize this movie for not having any plot, but that’s not the kind of movie this is. These guys weren’t looking to change the world through cinema but just wanted to have a good time. Most likely, this will be the last Jackass movie we’ll ever see, so they at least went out swinging. On a side note, despite the controversy surrounding Bam Margera’s absence, here’s hoping he gets the help he needs. While this film won’t be sweeping the awards anytime soon, it’s still a fun, if occasionally wince-inducing, thrill ride. Overall, Jackass Forever may not last forever, but it’s still a good send-off for this franchise.
Buy tickets to Jackass Forever from Fandango: https://fandan.co/3rVqFT3.
