By In October of 2000, Johnny Knoxville and the gang unleashed their brand of humor and stunts upon the world. Three seasons, two movies, an awful video game and several spin offs later, the crew reunites to bring their foray into the world of three dimensions. In a time where 3D movies are the bee knees, would Jackass 3D warrant the use of the technology? More importantly, after ten years, would Jackass still be relevant?
In October of 2000, Johnny Knoxville and the gang unleashed their brand of humor and stunts upon the world. Three seasons, two movies, an awful video game and several spin offs later, the crew reunites to bring their foray into the world of three dimensions. In a time where 3D movies are the bee knees, would Jackass 3D warrant the use of the technology? More importantly, after ten years, would Jackass still be relevant?
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To the uninitiated, Jackass was a series on MTV about a rag tag group of misfits who film insane and deplorable acts for our entertainment. After three seasons, the series ended and the gang ventured out into the film world. With the films came opportunity to circumvent the censors and gave them the freedom to perform more vulgar stunts. Audiences ate it up as it broke box office records, grossing almost $80 million with a budget of $5 million. Four years later, Jackass Number Two was released and it too made a sh*t load of money. Although they say every movie is the last one, the boys keep coming back for more.
Every time a Jackass movie releases, people question its relevancy and doubt they could repeat the success of the previous film. It’s been four years since Jackass Number Two and during this gap, sites like Youtube and Break.com have satisfied our needs of nut shots and all around idiocy. Yet after all this time and iterations, the Jackass crew still has that magic (inappropriate) touch.
During the days of the TV series, handheld cameras were the weapon of choice. What differentiates Jackass 3D from it's predecessors is the use of 3D and the Phantom camera, a camera capable of capturing 1000 frames per second. As far as the 3D is concerned, the only segments to really utilize the technology are the beginning and the end. The rest of the film’s 3D seems more like an after thought and uneventful. The Phantom camera, however, makes for interesting segments as slowed down hits and crashes make for a beautiful ballet of pain.
Jackass 3D doesn’t stray far from the formula. There are a lot of dangerous stunts, public pranks, unnecessary nudity and all types of body fluids. With that being said, it’s a formula that still works, and it works well in part to the chemistry of the group. There’s a sense of joy and excitement with each stunt that is accomplished that spills into the audience. You almost forget that they get a paycheck to do this, as their moronic giggling convinces you that they do this to entertain each other. Their energy is contagious, and although they are now older and weathered by Hollywood, they’re still the same idiots we met back in 2000. While some bits of the film will make you feel like you’ve been there before, it still doesn’t take away from the overall experience.
For the most part, a lot of people don’t understand the draw of buying a movie ticket to watch idiots hurting themselves. Other than the fact that pain = funny, the fact is that the Jackass franchise is based on a spectacle. Most of the first films made in cinema history had no type of narrative at all, just footage of things and places other people haven’t seen before. Jackass 3D also keeps the spirit of slapstick alive, as it plays out like a real life cartoon. It’s not pushing cinema forward nor is it being compared to Citizen Kane, but there’s still a place for films like Jackass 3D.
Overall Score: 7.10 – Good. (7s are good, but not great. These films often have a stereotypical plot or are great movies that have a few minor flaws. Fans of this movie’s genre might love it, but others will still enjoy seeing it in theaters.)
A film like Jackass 3D comes down to the type of person you are. If you don’t get it, it’s fine, some people just don’t get it. But for those that do, you’re going to be sore from all the laughter. It’s a fun experience that is best enjoyed with a group of friends and your brain turned off. If you enjoyed the last two movies, the third will not disappoint.
