Review - Jackass Forever

Directed by: Jeff Tremaine
Written by: Andrew Weinberg, Colton Dunn, Derrick Beckles, Eric Andre, Knate Gwaltney, Nick Kreiss, Sarah Sherman, Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, Spike Jonez
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Wee Man, Danger Ehren, Preston Lacy,
Running Time: 96 minutes
Rating: 4/5

“Hi, I’m Johnny Knoxville and welcome to Hell!”

I want to preface this review by saying that I have been waiting for this film for years. It’s almost a religious experience to take time out of our busy lives and just sit, communally, with friends, family, or a bunch of strangers and laugh our fucking asses off. Whether it’s strapping a beehive on Steve-O’s penis, Chris Pontius drinking pig semen or Knoxville being launched out of a cannon, Jackass is all guts...and all glory in the laughter, the blood and the broken bones that follow. There isn’t a plot here, folks. Just a bunch of best friends who find everything—from falls to farts—absolutely  hilarious. There’s no mean spirits here, just a bunch of jackasses.

It’s been almost 22 years since Jackass graced the small screen in October 2000 and almost 11 years since the last film (Jackass 3D) was released in theatres. Knoxville’s hair is grey; Wee-Man and Preston are still tied to the hip but looking more weathered, Steve-O has sobered up, Pontius, England, Ehren all look and feel older (Bam...he’s off in his own world.)  True to their hearts though, they’re still daredevils, mad geniuses and brave as ever. It’s horrifying though, the guys (who are in their fourties and fifties) are still up for the laughs, even if it means sacrificing their bones; their brains and (usually) their penises are sacrificed for the sake of communal comedy. But now, every hit almost feels more definitive, almost too personal; the invincibility that we all thought these men have....may not be the case. There are two moments in this film where I felt genuinely scared for them – Knoxville’s bull run and Steve-O’s marching band / treadmill jump are horrifying. To see medics on set isn’t unusual for these stuntmen, but every second they stay on the floor, strikes a nerve-deep fear that bleeds into the film.

An important thing to note is that series co-creators Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze skillfully integrated new cast members into outing, almost signaling the passing of the torch from the OGs to a new generation of idiots. The Dave England/Steve-O-influenced Poopies, Zach Holmes (the “braver Preston Lacy”), Odd Future co-creator Jasper Dolphin, actor Erik Manaka and the first female Jackass, comedian Rachel Wolfson. I want to say that I felt a little bit nervous with the new cast. I was worried that Jackass was looking to adapt to the new generation of prank comedy—the new TikTok or Youtube prank shows that absolutely annoy every fibre of my being. I was worried the heart and the camaraderie between the cast would slowly disappear into a product that was inherently not Jackass...well, I am happy to report that the new cast fits and almost feels as if they are part of the OG crew.

“But now, every hit almost feels more definitive, almost too personal; the invincibility that we all thought these men have....may not be the case.”

There is an unbridled joy in the eyes of every Jackass that encapsulates every single stunt they pull off on and off the camera; their testament to their bodies, the gags and their friendship is intoxicating – a masculine love that has blood-bonded them into a surrogate family. Jackass Forever contains some of the best bits they’ve ever pulled in any iteration of the franchise with also some of the most gut-wrenching and eye-covering moments I’ve ever experienced on screen. From the basement nightmare fuel Silence of the Lambs skit to the monstrosity and aranchaphobe triggering Spider Helmet to honestly any stunt featuring Danger Ehren (who gets the absolute WORST end of the pranks in this film), the Jackass gags are still vomit-inducing but also manage to feel new and fresh. There is something special, even after two years of this pandemic, to sit in a theatre and scream obscenities, gasp in horror and laugh uncontrollably with the strangers around you and the Jackasses on screen. They’re family.  I grew up with the Jackass guys. At one point, I think I wished I would be one of the guys on that screen doing stupid shit—but  all for the sake of fun—and just to hang out with everyone. These guys were the next generation of the Three Stooges and Buster Keaton...albeit with more raunchiness, bodily hijinks and, well, a lot of penis mutilation. For the record, whatever number you may have in your head for how many penises you’ll see in this movie, multiply it by 5.

Jackass Forever is a testament to what makes and made Jackass an influential, integral and important to a generation of prank shows, stuntmen and most importantly, the viewers. There is a definite line between youthful immaturity and stoic adulthood. Sometimes it’s better to take your time before you cross it and just be an idiot with your friends.

Jackass forever, man.