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Johnny Knoxville and his Jackass crew have visibly grown older since Jackass Number Two back in 2006, but this did not dissuade them from making their return to the big screen with yet another round of stupid skits and stunts (this time in 3-D) delivered in the same spirit of cheerful pointlessness as the film's predecessors. In all likelihood, the painful, repulsive slapstick within 2010's Jackass 3D will not appeal to those who prefer tasteful, well-written fictional comedies with a narrative, yet this flick is confidently superior to a lot of other modern comedies. Why can't non-Jackass movies exhibit this amount of energy and boundary-pushing ingenuity? Granted, Jackass 3D is lowbrow and loaded with bad taste. Sure, the film provides more shots of vomit, poo, bare bottoms and penises than viewers should ever have to stomach. And yes, certain skits do drag a tad and affect the pace. Nevertheless, the boys have delivered a hell of a show yet again, and Jackass 3D is the most consistently hilarious instalment in the series.
Fans of the MTV television show and/or previous Jackass movies should know the drill by now. Nothing but a string of vignettes, this third instalment follows the Jackass boys (Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Ryan Dunn, Steve-O, Jason "Wee Man" Acuña, Preston Lacy, Chris Pontius, "Danger" Ehren McGhehey and Dave England) as they play un-PC jokes on unsuspecting civilians and carry out dangerous and/or painful stunts. This entry also boasts an array of cameo appearances - The Dudesons, Will the Farter, Spike Jonze, and even Seann William Scott are all featured fleetingly. There's no thematic relevance here, nor is there a forced conventional narrative to give the skits a purpose, and this is for the best.
It would be unwise to spoil any of the content, as being shocked by the unpredictable insanity is key to enjoying the Jackass films (it's therefore fortunate that the trailer spoiled barely 5% of the laughs). Be warned, though, that some of the material here is truly repulsive. At times, the film is so gross that even the guys on-screen begin puking (one cameraman is particularly susceptible to throwing up, which is the equivalent of a doctor fainting at the sight of blood). What's impressive about this third outing is that after several episodes of the series and a few feature films, the team were still able to concoct so many creative ideas. Yet, while the boys put on a great show, they are starting to show their age, and consequently seem less enthusiastic about punishing themselves on-camera. This stuff has been their career for 10 years, after all.
Earlier in 2010, filmmaker James Cameron criticised Piranha 3D for cheapening the 3-D format, and hence I shudder to ponder what Cameron would say about Jackass 3D (perhaps he'd find it hilarious, just like the rest of us). While embracing 3-D for this Jackass instalment seems like a cheap gimmick to generate extra bucks at the box office, the extra dimension is in fact an inspired choice. It serves to create a sense of bemused dread; allowing you to sit back and wonder (or, in most cases, fear) what type of foul three-dimensional insanity will happen next. A dildo is even sent rocketing towards the camera at one stage. Heck, Mike Judge even created an animated introduction to the film featuring Beavis & Butthead which takes the piss out of the 3-D gimmick. Still, one gets the sense that the crew could have pushed things even farther, and, while Jackass 3D is still satisfying, the full potential of a Jackass film in 3-D was not quite realised.
Interestingly, most likely because of the 3-D format, Jackass 3D is the most polished movie in the series, and thus it's easier to watch compared to the ugly, grainy cinematography of its predecessors. Additionally, director Jeff Tremaine crafted a few blatantly "cinematic" moments in this instalment, most notably the sequences which open and close the film.
Jackass 3D is a truly critic-proof movie if ever there was one. Whether or not you will enjoy it depends on if you're a fan. You either love these movies, or you hate them - there's no in-between. Admittedly, Jackass 3D lacks a true showstopper, and some sequences work better than others (a skit where Pontius wreaks havoc in a gorilla suit outstays its welcome, and Knoxville getting bitten by a dog on the ass is pretty tame). Overall, though, the film is a hoot and a half - I laughed my ass off. It's hilarious enough in its best scenes to make up for a few slow moments. Others are welcome to disagree, though.
8.1/10
