It’s the cinematic reunion no one asked for, yet we so desperately needed. Nothing brings a big, stupid grin to my face more than hanging out with Johnny Knoxville and the boys. It’s pure euphoria watching as they inflict immense pain and humiliate one another for my own sick, unadulterated humor and amusement. It’s obscene, mildly offensive, grotesque, yet beautifully authentic and sincere. It’s “Jackass Forever.”
Twenty-two years ago, MTV, Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze and Jeff Tremaine introduced the world to “Jackass.” The premise was simple; just a group of life-long friends in front of a camera as they submit themselves to a series of tasteless, and often very painful, stunts for the purpose of sheer entertainment. It’s relentlessly immature, yet bound to make you cackle and howl in whimsical amusement. The formula remains the same, only difference being a bigger budget and some new faces along the way. After all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
My eyes were transfixed to the screen from the glorious first frame as I witnessed a big, green male genitalia monster wreak havoc on a city. Chaos ensues as the monster blasts and sprays away at the entire cast in joyous slow-motion as the opening credits rolled. Later, I discovered this juvenile joke cost upwards of $3 million dollars. Alas, my faith in humanity has been restored.
This is stupid, so unbelievably stupid. However, with the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, and continued concerns with the Delta variant, unprecedented political division and depression at an all-time high, we need to laugh. We need to venture out to the cinema, support our local theatres, settle down and watch middle-aged men smack one another in precisely choreographed ding-dong shots. This is our cure. Let us rejoice.
In one of the more intense stunts in the film, we witness 50-year-old Johnny Knoxville taunt a large bull, and in doing so, is charged and attacked. The seemingly indestructible Knoxville is tossed up into the air like a human ragdoll and knocked unconscious. He is quickly rushed to the hospital where we later learn he suffered a broken wrist and rib, serious concussion and brain hemorrhage. However, despite this, his first words upon hazily waking up were, “did we get it”? This is a true artist. A man who puts his own safety and wellbeing on the line for our own entertainment and I could not feel more blessed. This is why film was invented.
My stomach hurt from laughing so intensely for the 96 minutes that “Jackass Forever” was projected onto the large cinema screen. It’s a joyous, euphoric marvel, and simply put, the film we all need right now. This really is a series about friendship after all. It’s about obscenely dangerous close encounters with wild animals and gnarly, unfathomable variations of male genitalia mutilation. Best friends supporting each other, hooting and hollering through their shared pain and humiliation. The sense of comradery and love for one another, both on screen and in my packed theatre, was so wonderfully sincere.
After two horrible, bloody awful years with a global pandemic, unprecedented violence and pent up anger on every street corner, it felt so good to just…laugh. The original boys, along with the surprisingly excellent new additions, are all wonderful. They elude a sense of cathartic excess that has been sorely missed in cinema. While it’s not for your grandparents or the faint-hearted, I think most are bound to get a well needed chuckle or laugh from “Jackass Forever.” 8 bee-stings out of 10.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of The Torch.
