We like to think we’re a site that covers most genres of film, striving to seek out genuine quality arthouse fair when we ever find ourselves at the many film festivals we are lucky enough to attend around the world – but sometimes, it’s quite nice just to sit down and marvel at fully grown men get punched in the balls. Presenting jackass forever, the latest feature spun-off from the popular MTV series, and perhaps the best in the series yet.
Twenty-two years on from its original airing back in the autumn of 2000. Johnny Knoxville and his band of brothers reunite for another series of pranks and stunts, teaming with a new generation of stuntmen – and women. The only thing that alludes that this is a movie is the running time. Devoid of narrative structure or plot, save for an opening sequence featuring Chris Pontius’ strung-up cock, painted green posing as a Godzilla-like character, jackass forever is a stack of clips joined together featuring faces old and new try their darnedest to hurt one another in varying ways.
Stand-out sequences in this new movie include jackass regular Steve-O attach a queen-bee to his naked cock and balls, attracting a swarm to land and sting his bare genitals, and veteran Ehren McGhehey (aka Danger Ehren) undertake the now legendary cup-test – having heavyweight UFC champion Francis Ngannou take aim at his nut-sack with the full force of his right arm. There’s newcomer Sean “Poopies” McInerney, who also seems up for anything, including seemingly being stuck in a dark room with a rattlesnake on the loose, which, to be fair, was set-up without his knowledge. Other memorable stunts include the involvement of a bear, let into a room to feast on salmon and other ‘treats’ left on the lap of a tied-up Danger Ehren, who also just happens to have electrodes attached, Knoxville quite happily buzzing him as the grizzly approaches.
I guess you know the drill, but in a hard times with many of us having been kept apart, it’s so refreshing to see a movie that does exactly what it says on the tin – an unapologetic blast from the past that somehow still manages to delight with its stupidity and immaturity some two decades on. Knoxville and co. prove that the brotherhood has endured, and delight is taken not only from seeing all on screen suffer, stunt after stunt, but also watching all of them embrace after said pain has been inflicted.
The Blu-ray has just one asset listed amongst its bonus materials, and that is a selection of bonus stunts that didn’t quite make the feature that played in cinemas. Think of them as an extension of the film itself, and unlike other pointless deleted scenes on ‘normal’ movie releases, do add value despite some slight variations of what is seen in the main feature. These run for around 40-ish minutes added together and definitely worth your time once you’ve devoured the main feature.
A perfect revisit to an insane genre we thought we’d might have seen the last of. Pure, unadulterated, adult fun that have you howling throughout.
jackass forever is now available on digital download. It will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on 2nd May 2022.
jackass forever
Summary
A blast from the past that is worthy of revisiting. The rewatch factor may be limited, but it’s the sort of movie you reach for late on Friday night that’ll always entertain, particularly as part of a like-minded crowd.
