A new definition of stupid – In the history of comedy, we have seen our fare share of stupidity, but never has it been taken to the levels as seen in the “Jackass” franchise. Set aside for a moment the fact that these guys clearly are delusional when they create these stunts and just focus on the entertainment value. Is it funny? Well, I think anytime you put together a group like this, laughs will follow and do so in a big way. And with “Jackass 3D” being the third installment; they not only have more money to help set-up some of these ludicrous stunts and pranks, they have had time, which in the end has allowed them to produce a final product that words just really can’t explain.
A story, what story? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out there really is no story to the shenanigans Johnny Knoxville and his crew live by. So, for all those looking for drama, look elsewhere as the only drama that exists with this film is the reality each of these crazy lunatic’s have to live with after they finish a stunt. And truly, for a film that contains a multitude of high-impact stunts, mixed with hilarious pranks and skits, it flowed quite well. Maybe that’s because these guys have been doing this for a long time, but either way, the effort and dedication they each put forth is uncanny. The lengths they go through to commit a prank is incredible and I guess commendable as you just don’t see this kind of fun in your typical workplace. Such pranks and stunts like “The High Five,” “The Rocky,” “Jet Airplane,” “Roller-skate Buffalo,” “The Field Goal,” “Midgets in a Bar Fight,” “Duck Hunting,” “Lamborghini Tooth Pull,” “Sweat Suit Cocktail” and “Beehive Tetherball” are just 10 of the 37 total stunts and skits performed. So, while I won’t go into each one of them, know that your imagination can’t even do the justice they all deserve, which should tell you everything you need to know.
Acting a fool – For those that saw the TV series and first two installments to this trilogy on the big screen, you already know who all is involved in this film. But for those that don’t, I will quickly breakdown the cast which is led by the infallible Johnny Knoxville. His co-conspirators in no particular order are Bam Margera, Chris Pontius, Ryan Dunn, Jason ‘Wee Man’ Acuna, Preston Lacy, Dave England, Ehren McGhehey and finally Steve-O who probably got the short-end of the stick more times than not in this film. With that said, the punishment is actually spread pretty evenly among the rest of the cast as you couldn’t help but laugh out loud from the pain and suffering endured by all involved.
Was it worth it? I think when the book closes on this franchise; the cast will look back and say to one another, “We got paid how much, for doing that?” That’s assuming they will be throwing in the towel, which at this point is a leap when you look at how much this film is taking in at the box office currently. With director Jeff Tremaine on hand, why not keep going as his brutal approach and enthusiasm to showing “everything” within these films is priceless. Unwilling to leave anything out, Tremain threw in the outtakes and cut sequences as the credits roll, paying homage to its roots on MTV, so there’s no doubt you get the full 90-minute experience. The only question is, was there more and if so, will it be on the DVD in a few months? Judging by the success of “Jackass 2.5,” which was primarily released on DVD after “Jackass number Two,” I think there’s a good chance we see some more from this shoot, which was said to have taken six months to film.
When you watch all this unfold on the big screen, it’s hard to believe it would take even that long, but filming was essentially the easiest part. Setting up and making sure each stunt or prank went the right way is what could stall, so I think the end result shows the dedication this entire team had to see that final product. I’m just not sure if 3-D was needed, given how little impact it had. Ironically, I think had more stunts been filmed in 3-D, the overall sequence of events would probably have turned out even better. Because the pure look to it all was brilliant, which proves the power technology like this can have when used in the right manner. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to use high speed cameras, which record extremely fast to help produce hyper-slow motion, a feature that was comically abused time after time within this film.
Bottom Line – You definitely have to know what you’re walking into before sitting down to watch “Jackass 3D,” which means if you didn’t see the first two installments, you might want to do so prior to paying your hard earned money for this one. That’s just my own personal “warning,” as I would hate for anyone to walk in unexpected, as this film could seriously scar you for quite awhile given all the ‘over-the-top’ stunts and grotesque humor involved. Having said that, if you love to watch a bunch of guys torture each other using the most unthinkable devices and props, by all means go see this film as it will not disappoint on that front.
B
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