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FEBRUARY 9�16, 2022
In ‘Jackass Forever,’ the sublimely stupid is eternal
By Katie Walsh
Tribune News Service
‘JACKASS
FOREVER’
3 stars (out of 4)
MPAA rating: R for strong
crude material and
dangerous stunts, graphic
nudity and language
throughout
Running time: 1:36
Where to watch: In theaters
T
he opening sequence of
“Jackass Forever” is one
you’ll never forget. It’s a piece of
fi lmmaking so bold, so auda-
cious and so unbelievably,
sublimely stupid that it will no
doubt etch itself on your brain
for years to come. I don’t dare
describe it in print, because
everyone deserves to discover
it for themselves. Let’s just say
it’s “Godzilla”-inspired, with a
uniquely “Jackass” twist.
“Sublimely stupid” is what the
“Jackass” crew does best, and
their formula (thankfully) hasn’t
wavered since the prank/stunt
reality comedy show debuted
on MTV in October 2000, and
evolved into a fi lm franchise
spanning two decades. There’s
something comforting about the
phrase, “I’m Johnny Knoxville,
welcome to Jackass,” even, no,
especially, if what comes next is
a display of pure human agony
and humiliation.
Knoxville, our devilish ring-
leader, sports his signature
Wayfarers and coif, which he
allows to go silver at some point
in the fi lming, which is a sort
of sweet display of how long
Sean Cliver/Paramount Pictures
From left, Zach Holmes, Johnny Knoxville and Rachel Wolfson in “Jackass Forever.”
he and the crew have been up
to these antics, and how long
we’ve been watching them. He
is a circus ringmaster, a rodeo
clown and a sadistic game
show host, but always, his most
important role is the one of big
brother. While he freely dis-
penses surprise Taser attacks,
he’s always the fi rst to off er
a high-fi ve, the one laughing
the loudest. Though “Jackass
Forever” puts the cast member’s
soft tissues through a pummel-
ing like never before, it’s not
the violence that puts a smile
on your face, but the riotous
back-slapping that follows the
screams of agony after each
pratfall, prank and punch.
Knoxville and his original
compatriots, Chris Pontius,
Steve-O, Danger Ehren, Dave
England, Preston Lacy and
Jason “Wee-Man” Acuña, are
joined by a new crew of masoch-
istic pranksters, including You-
Tube stunt-ster Zach Holmes,
comedian Rachel Wolfson, Eric
Manaka (who appeared in Knox-
ville’s “Action Point”), Odd Future
member Jasper (plus his father,
Dark Shark) and pro surfer Sean
“Poopies” McInerney, as well as
guest stars such as Tyler, the
Creator, Eric Andre and Machine
Gun Kelly. The newbies seem
astonished to be included in
something they grew up watch-
ing, and that exhilaration and
awe seems to power them
through each bone-crunching,
stomach-churning stunt.
The OGs pony up to the
plate for their share of pain and
humiliation too. Knoxville ends
up fairly battered and broken,
Steve-O subjects himself to
stunts this shy of a cavity search
and Danger Ehren takes the
classic “cup test” to new levels.
This fi lm, directed as always
by Jeff Tremaine, is very much
focused on the members of
the members of this crew, who
subject their nether regions to
astonishing injury. There’s never,
ever been full frontal like this
before, in fact, the word “frontal”
isn’t even an apt descriptor for
this display.
“Jackass Forever” tran-
scends the body horror to
achieve a kind of nirvana: The
crew invites themselves to laugh
so they don’t cry, and asks the
audience to do the same. It’s a
reminder that pain is temporary,
but friendship is forever.
Valentine’s Day is coming!
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