Jackass frightens, entertains

September 25, 2006 —

Where to begin? It's difficult to know where to start when discussing a movie that features no plot to speak of, and in which shots of people writhing in agony take up the majority of the running time. What I do know is that despite this, Jackass: Number Two is a thoroughly enjoyable affair, provided one can stomach the more grotesque moments.

For those very few who may read this and be unfamiliar with the concept of Jackass, it can best be summed up in this way: some guys perform stunts meant to go wrong, take part in disgusting activities, and occasionally torment innocent bystanders, as well as each other.

How can this be entertaining? I think that the success rides on the unimaginable enthusiasm of the Jackass cast. These are people willing to be bitten by snakes, trampled by bulls, and do things with various tubes and funnels that cannot be printed here.

Many of the vignettes are quite difficult to watch. Sometimes, this is because of the painfulness of the acts, sometimes it is because of the vileness of the acts. Nearly all of the time, the scenes are thrilling, hilarious, suspenseful, or all of the above. Say what you will about the intellectual value or cinematic quality of the material, but I had a good time. Judging by the reactions of the rest of the theater, most everyone else there did as well.

Before dismissing Jackass: Number Two, it would be wise to reflect on the value of such movies as Boogeyman and the newly remade Wicker Man. I submit that Jackass has a lot more going for it: the film is carefully composed, well-balanced madness that contains more edge-of-the-seat moments than any horror movie I have seen in the last two years.

At the center of it all is Johnny Knoxville, who makes all of this possible. Call it bravery or call it stupidity, but this man has an unthinkable quantity of it. His approach to these acts is such that they pave the way for the rest of the cast members. One stunt which involves being victimized by an anti-riot weapon is so harrowing that the two people lined up to perform it walk away. Knoxville follows them out, says some words, and goes back with them. He stands in the center and takes the punishment with them, a symbol of his authority and charisma.

Is that foolishness? Probably, but it is a foolishness that is heedlessly thrust upon us by a group of people who know exactly what they are doing in as far as both risk and entertainment go. Madness or not, plot or not, Jackass: Number Two is a well-orchestrated step into the bizarre, unacceptable, and painful, all while remaining lighthearted and funny. That is a line many movies fail to maintain.