Jackass: The Movie
Directed by Jeff Tremaine
- action
- comedy
- documentary
The story
Johnny Knoxville and his band of maniacs perform a variety of stunts and gross-out gags on the big screen for the first time. They wander around Japan in panda outfits, wreak havoc on a once civilized golf course, they even do stunts involving LIVE alligators, and so on.
What it’s like
Harsh, flat daylight and handheld camcorder footage that jolts between wide shots and tight, sweaty close-ups, with the grain and blown-out colour of cheap consumer video. Suburban streets, parking lots, a Tokyo sidewalk and a manicured golf course all look equally banal until someone walks into frame and ruins them. The soundtrack is loud, abrasive rock and rap cut hard against the chaos, and the cheap, bright look makes everything feel like a home video that slipped out of control. The vibe is raucous, juvenile and exhausting, with long stretches of bodily humiliation and a constant sense that someone is about to get seriously hurt. Pacing is brisk and episodic, a run of sketches with no real arc beyond the gang escalating their own stupidity. Intensity is high: frequent physical pain, gross-out bodily gags, nudity, sexual humour, and animal stunts involving live alligators, though the injuries are played for laughs rather than dwelling in gore. This suits late-night group viewing with friends who don't mind being shocked and grossed out, and fans of the TV series who want more of the same, but it is not for anyone seeking something gentle.
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