film review: jackass 3D

Jackass 3D is the third installment in the Jackass film franchise, released a decade after the successful television series first aired on MTV back in the year 2000, which also inspired various spin offs involving members of the original cast.

At the screening that I attended some viewers were laughing out loud, while others were squirming in their seats at some of the cruder stunts. Case in point: Preston, one of the cast members, is seen lying on all fours, naked, while a large pig eats an apple out of his behind (a very disturbing image in most people’s minds), while in another stunt, a member of the cast is seen running around urinating on people. But the most cringe-worthy stunt was aptly titled the ‘sweatsuit cocktail,’ which caused various members of the cast and crew to throw up onscreen, and probably created some gag-reflexes in the audience.

On the flip side, tributes to the Rocky movies and the scenes that saw Knoxville dress up as an elderly man were quite humorous. The combination of pranks, stunts and staged sketches means that audiences should appreciate different aspects of the film.

However, there were of course a variety of self-injuring and dangerous stunts that the series has become notorious for. Viewers are warned both before and after the feature that the stunts performed are dangerous and should not be imitated. Indeed, there has been significant controversy regarding whether the series should be accountable for a number of deaths and injuries involving youths recreating the Jackass stunts.

Filmed with Phantom high-speed cameras shooting at 1,000 frames per second, the 3D actually adds an impressive dimension to the film, and Beavis and Butt-head provide an introduction explaining the 3D technology. The visuals and art direction are particularly effective in the opening and closing sequences. The cast are seen lining up against a series of vibrant colours in the set design, as various objects are thrown at their faces and bodies in slow motion. Similarly, the closing sequence focuses on the cast being slowly hit by exploding objects, before being washed away by a wave pool.

Recurring comedian Rip Taylor is seen before the credits roll, as the song Memories by Weezer is heard. Clips from the original program are then screened, with photos of the cast and crew when they younger, creating a somewhat cheesy sense of nostalgia. But if you’re a fan of the series, then you will certainly enjoy the film overall – if not, be prepared for some very sordid moments!