WARNING: What now follows is an absolute sincere 10/10 review of the latest Jackass film, Jackass Forever. If you don’t have a taste for sincerity when it comes to stupidity on film, or feel that comparisons of pranks and antics to comedy legends are either fruitless or plainly foolish, then turn away now. This review will land somewhere between high-foluting and low-foluting when it comes to discussing the film, for as much as it genuinely is a very well crafted beast, it is also a film based largely around genital injury. But overall the consensus is pure and simple for this reviewer; 10/10, a film that flawlessly achieves absolutely everything its sets out to do and makes audiences laugh themselves silly like no other recently released comedy. This film isn’t garnering chuckles, it is garnering belly laughs and fits. I’m sorry Denis, but f*ck Dune. This is the movie that you need to come back to the theatres for.
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So how does one start this review? I think I first want to discuss the notion that these films are very well made. Directed as was the case with the rest of the films by Jeff Tremaine, with Lance Bangs and Spike Jonze behind the camera and Johnny Knoxville of course leading the troupe in-front, the film follows the same in-house style of the previous films. I personally don’t think it can be underestimated to what extent a consistent working style leads to these films being as successful as they are. With such repeatedly outrageous and downright hilarious stunts and sequences, I think people fail to note that these films don’t feel like bombardments or overindulgences due to the intrinsic and thought-through pacing of these affairs. These films never feel relentless or overly nauseating due to the genuine thought and effort put into making and editing them. Tremaine is in many ways without over-stating it one of our best modern documentarians when it comes to capturing truth on screen. In the modern landscape of Tik-Tok and Fails videos and the like one can I feel at least find a lot more skill and craft in the Jackass movies making all conversation surrounding the purpose of these films in a current social media world where people do this stuff to one another and film it all the time almost wholly irrelevant. This is a deeply well-crafted film about some of the stupidest sh*t you’ll see all year, making an almost intoxicatingly watchable ode to friendship and frankly dumb-assery.
Of course the major joy of these films is the crew, not unlike a successful horror film needing a somewhat likeable gaggling of people for the kills to feel weighted and scary, these films implicitly need a crew of likable people who come off as fun-loving and friendly rather than just stupid... jackasses. Knoxville and the rest of those involved with this film are incredibly likable people, with this film also boasting a new set of entrants to the crew who are also just as fun and likable. It all just reeks of joy, and sh*t, but mainly joy. Laughter and joy on screen is so hearty, healthy and infectious when genuine that these films can’t help but be incredibly entertaining. Also on a side note, can I just say that this may be the Jackass movie I rewatch most in my life as it has the least puke. I can take faeces, semen and other excretions, but something about puke just sends me the wrong way. Even when people do puke the only plus of this being a COVID production is revealed, that Lance Bangs (frequent on-screen vomiter in the series) throws up into his puke nowhere for us to see. Just a little personal thing that I enjoyed. Overall however in the case of this feature one can seriously feel a heart about it. Deaths in the crew, natural aging and a sense of torch passing all makes this film featuring a penis morphed into a green Godzilla monster reveal itself it to be one of the most tender and surprisingly emotionally effecting films of the year so far.
A downright hilarious 10/10 thrill ride. No film makes one convulse with such genuine and immediate reactions than these films and Forever is no such break from the formula. An outrageous farce of insane proportions all bolstered by the absolute documentarian joy of capturing true friends have a great time. Their laughter is infectious and joyous, it is true and it is plenty effecting. Our laughter blends with theirs and we find ourselves all laughing, all joint together, all in sight of one pure goal – have a god-damn great time.
P.S. Reportedly Spike Jonze directed the incredible opening sequence and although I genuinely whole-heartedly love Jonze’s relationship with this series of films, can we please perhaps have a new feature film soon Spike? I mean you’ve made three masterpieces and one absolutely great other film, so maybe just make a couple more? Just for me. Pretty please. I’m single and there’s only so many times I can watch Her without serious emotional damage. I mean, come on man, even the computer grew past him and left him! Give this sad lonely man a break.
P.P.S Ryan Dunn Forever.
- - Thomas Carruthers
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