Electric shocks. Rental car demolition derbies. Whale sharks biting at crotches. Good times. As droves of skaters and unemployed college students flock to see Jackass, the MTV stunt show-turned feature film, many critics have dropped the ball in reviewing the movie. With the exception of the Toronto Star assigning Ben Rayner to the task, many papers assigned their top film-theory-degree-toting, Gosford Park-salivating, Toronto Life-reading scribes to the task. This is wrong.The film, starring pain-cushion Johnny Knoxville and a slew of his ex-skateboard buddies, is all about fun, and that’s it. Maybe you think watching a guy get his ass kicked by Japan’s top female kickboxer isn’t funny, or there’s something reprehensible about watching someone ingest their own pee, but tell me this: In what Jean-Luc Godard film can you see Henry Rollins drive a jeep at 100 mph off-road while someone gets a tattoo in the backseat? Not a one.
From the opening scene, where the cast ride an oversized shopping cart while being blasted by rocks, debris and “O Fortuna” from the opera Carmen, it’s clear the nihilistic crew pulled out all the stops for what has been confirmed to be their first and last feature. Jackass doesn’t pretend to have a plot. It just rolls along from one stunt to another, which is why this film works so well—Knoxville & Co. know their audience, and don’t disappoint when it comes to high-impact hijinx. Add to that a brilliant score, featuring a brand new Andrew W.K. tune as well as classics by Slayer and Sir Mix-A-Lot, and you’ve got fun, fun, fun ’til your daddy takes your Ritalin away.
