Jackass Forever (2022)

By: Mike Ward on Saturday, February 12

R Running Time: 96 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

For anyone who has enjoyed Jackass in the past, this capper to an improbable 22-year-run is precisely what Jackass fans are wanting and will absolutely love.
Strikes an unexpected, almost unexplainable emotionally effective conclusion to the Jackass crew’s pranks and hijinks.
The guys are frequently naked, the pranks are even more diabolical, and also side-splittingly hilarious. Just let all the ego and pretense go and enjoy the madness.

NO

If you haven’t liked Jackass before, this ain’t for you.
If you cannot sit through physical pranks and people hurting themselves (potentially) intentionally, Jackass Forever is going to be a long movie for you to sit through.
I think it is safe to say that this is the most graphic of the Jackass films, from nudity to graphic themes and comedic violence. Keep an eye on who has eyes on this.

OUR REVIEW

I know I must be getting old when I mention that there is something nostalgic and, I’ll say it, heartwarming, about seeing the Jackass crew of pranksters, antagonizers and stunters, come together for one last run. Clearly, if prat falls, daredevil mayhem, and insanely painful exercises in endurance are not your thing, the Jackass franchise is pointless, menial, perhaps even stupid to you.

That’s alright. I mean I’m not laying underneath the “Human Ramp” or shooting myself out of a cannon or trying to kiss a snarling viper while dressed as a mime anytime soon either.

But as the film’s end credits show us, the camaraderie and genuine delight these friends and makeshift stunt performers have when performing together is intoxicatingly fun to watch. And so, as a potential capper to an unlikely 22-year run, Jackass Forever has arrived with the old crew expanding a bit, while also creating new stunts and resurrecting old ones for one last wild ride.

Starting nearly every stunt with “Hi, I’m (name) and this is (stunt title),” this crew, led by Johnny Knoxville, takes us through dozens of physical challenges. Some of them make zero sense. Well, really all of them make zero sense. But in terms of the setup and execution of the gag, several of these scenarios are literally just some variation on the idea of “What if we did this…” And the movie is as crazy and ridiculous as ever.

For the 2022 iteration of Jackass, the crew, now including some new friends and daredevils, including comic Rachel Whitworth and musician Jasper Dolphin, are as naked and vulnerable as ever. Frequent stunts involve male anatomy that is painted, punched, stung with bees, and in one extended sequence involving a series of “cup tests,” we see “Danger” Ehren take a series of shots to the balls from a professional MMA fighter, a professional hockey player, and (because, why not?), a pogo stick from a fellow Jackasser.

Is Jackass Forever the movie we need for our times? Does it deserve a 1,500 word rumination on how, through these stunts and depictions of physical pain and agony, we see ourselves and our collective pain and agony reflected back upon us, and…

No. GTFO. This ain’t that. This is a movie where a bunch of friends beat the s*** out of each other and put themselves in ludicrous situations to see what they can handle. And so often, it is funny as hell.

And yet…

There are moments of fallibility present here that are not present in previous films, shows, and specials. Knoxville, just a touch past 50 at the time of filming, recreates his famous “Knoxville vs. Bull” routine to disastrous results, leading to serious injury and a stretcher job. Sure, he laughs off his concussion, broken wrist, and other injuries, but that’s a concussion, broken wrist, and other injuries at 50+ years old. There’s a wincing reminiscence of what used to be and what can be no longer. And somehow, in its own inimitable way, Jackass Forever hits with a different kind of bone-crunching impact.

I had a lot of fun with this, cringing and staring through the makeshift bars of my fingers covering my eyes. If there is a theme that shines through and sticks with you, it is, oddly enough, one of friendship, loyalty, and admiration. That feeling of kinship you get in finding a group of friends who will never judge you, who always have your back, and willingly go through almost literal hell and back together.

Maybe that’s why I liked this so much. Because for all its raunchy, explicit, nonsensical immaturity, Jackass Forever has a nostalgic heart firmly tattooed on its sleeve. I needed these laughs. Chances are, you probably do too.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Jason Acuña, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Ehren McGhehey, Preston Lacy, Sean McInerney, Zach Holmes, Jasper Dolphin, Rachel Wolfson, Eric Manaka, Jeff Tremaine, Chris Raab, Rob Dyrdek, Eric André, Francis Ngannou, P.K. Subban, Machine Gun Kelly, Tyler the Creator, Lance Bangs

Director: Jeff Tremaine
Concepts Written by: Jason Acuña, Eric André, Derrick Beckles, Colton Dunn, Dave England, Spike Jonze, Johnny Knoxville, Nick Kreiss, Preston Lacy, Knate Lee, Bam Margera, Ehren McGhehey, Chris Pontius, Sarah Sherman, Steve-O, Jeff Tremaine, Andrew Weinberg
Release Date: February 4, 2022
Paramount Pictures

For anyone who has enjoyed Jackass in the past, this capper to an improbable 22-year-run is precisely what Jackass fans are wanting and will absolutely love.

Strikes an unexpected, almost unexplainable emotionally effective conclusion to the Jackass crew’s pranks and hijinks.

The guys are frequently naked, the pranks are even more diabolical, and also side-splittingly hilarious. Just let all the ego and pretense go and enjoy the madness.

If you haven’t liked Jackass before, this ain’t for you.

If you cannot sit through physical pranks and people hurting themselves (potentially) intentionally, Jackass Forever is going to be a long movie for you to sit through.

I think it is safe to say that this is the most graphic of the Jackass films, from nudity to graphic themes and comedic violence. Keep an eye on who has eyes on this.