'Jackass Forever' Review: And They Said You Can’t Teach Old Dogs New Stunts
R: Strong crude material and dangerous stunts, graphic nudity and language throughout
Runtime: 1 Hr and 36 Minutes
Production Companies: MTV Entertainment Studios, Dickhouse Productions, Gorilla Flicks
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Directors: Jeff Tremaine
Writers: Andrew Weinberg, Colton Dunn, Derrick Beckles, Eric André, Knate Gwaltney, Nick Kreiss, Sarah Sherman, Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, Spike Jonze
Cast: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Wee Man, Danger Ehren, Preston Lacy
Release Date: February 4, 2022
In Theaters Only
Celebrating the joy of being back together with your best friends, and with a perfectly executed shot to the dingdong, the original Jackass crew returns for another round of hilarious, wildly absurd, and often dangerous displays of comedy with a little help from some exciting new cast.
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Well, the likes of Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man, and the rest of the Jackass crew are here to defy that. 20 years since the inception of Jackass, the old gang is back with some new stunts and they brought some fresh and diverse blood along with them.
Sean Cliver, © 2021 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
When I was a wee lil’ child during the early 2000s, I never had the pleasure of watching Jackass. I never saw an episode or any of the films. I saw Bad Grandpa in a theater but that wasn’t a classic JACKASS movie. Even then, I had to go through hell to see that because I was underage, and sneaking into R-rated movies wasn’t easy back then. Now that I’m a legal adult and have seen a Jackass project, I’m proud to say that I finally get it. I get the appeal and why these stunt guys have been loved throughout all these years.
If you’ve seen a Jackass movie, you know they start with a crazy-ass intro that sets the tone and stage of the madness you’re about to see, along with a string of various and fucked up pranks. They’re all conducted by the ringleader of this stuntman circus, Johnny Knoxville, and it’s wild that the Jackass team is still able to find clever and innovative ways to do some of the most tasteless stunts ever conceived, turning them into high art/the funniest thing you’ve ever seen.
Some of their old stunts straight-up got sequels where the team advanced their reach and went bigger with crazier contraptions. If not that, they’d do the same shit they did 20 years ago and see if they can survive it at their current age. While you have mindless fun watching Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man, Dave England, and all the other veterans injure themselves through various forms of slapstick, there’s a level of intensity that comes with watching them do anything in their 40s and 50s. You can’t help but feel like an anxious mom concerned about the wellbeing of their child. It’s like watching somebody try to make a comeback on a low health bar in a fighting game. Regardless, you’re able to have a grand ol’ time due to them being the maestros of the chaos as they bring in a group of young blood to join in on their festivities.
Sean Cliver, © 2021 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
There’s a new generation of stunt people who have made a name for themselves and graduated to the class of Jackass. Too Stupid to Die’s Zach Holmes, internet comedian Rachel Wolfson, and Jasper Dolphin of Odd Future seamlessly integrate themselves with the crew and you feel that honor and joy in every stunt/prank they’re featured in. It’s like you’re watching them go through a rite of passage in real-time. It’s standard fare for a long-lasting franchise to have torches passed on to a new generation, but unlike *insert every franchise reboot/sequel/soft sequel reboot* here, you feel these kids earn it. Hell, Eric Andre is in this and I felt so happy for him since he was one of the few who knew how to do this type of humor right during the 2010s.
The most joyful aspect of the film is derived from the camaraderie everyone shares with each other. Every prank is done with nothing but love and playfulness. The relationship the team shares with each other, both on and off camera, has gotten to a comfortable point where you see them touch each other's dicks for the sake of the stunt going well. I have never seen a group of heterosexual men be that open with each other’s genital area. Its a one-of-a-kind friendship that isn’t easily replicated. There’s a section during the movie where Jasper’s dad gets in on the stunt and you see the entire crew be so supportive and cheer him on while he’s facing his greatest fears. They’re just naturally sweet guys who love to have a great time and if there’s anything Jackass Forever proves, it’s that there will never be another group of legends as creative, daring, fearless, funny, and sweet as them. Though the guys are older now, their hearts are still in the right place.
Sean Cliver, © 2021 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Though I might be showing my age by revealing that this is my first Jackass movie, I believe this is the first great cinematic experience of the new year. In a time where we just got a ton of Oscar movies, which means heavy dramas with exceedingly long runtimes, it feels satisfying to have something as light and fun as Jackass Forever. I felt like a teenager again, laughing uncontrollably and going full Butt-head saying, “That was cool,” at the dumbest of pranks featuring genitals. Now, not all the pranks are winners. Heck, some of them don’t have a satisfying punchline to a point where they end up being palette cleansers after the funniest slapstick stunt you’ve ever seen. But I think that’s applicable to every Jackass movie.
The weight of the world is so heavy with both this pandemic raging on and different political bullshit that’s occurring on a daily basis. This movie is the definition of escapism: a getaway from thinking about life's tribulations and providing that sweet serotonin that makes you feel refreshed. It’s what moviegoing is all about. Watching this movie gave me hope that normalcy can be achieved again. I find it ironic how back in the day people would look down on these guys and go, “Is this what humanity is coming to?” After watching this film, I just want humanity to be as fun as these guys.
