Jackass number two - DVD review

2 April 2007 13:00 GMT / By Dan Hall

Four years on from their first big screen outing, the Jackass crew are back for another 95 minutes of bone crunching, testicle crushing mayhem. Dispensing with any pretence of a plot the gung-ho gang launch themselves into a string of uproarious skits and life threatening stunts that are likely to have you sniggering and squirming in your seats in equal measures. Highlights include “The Butt Chug”, “Anaconda Ball Pit” and - our personal favourite - “Medicine ball Dodgeball” (in the dark).

We were slightly worried that his increasing age (35) and budding film career (next year’s Killshot looks like he may finally have a hit) might have mellowed Jackass frontman Johnny Knoxville, but, thankfully, we couldn’t have been further off the mark.

Perhaps expecting that this will be his last hurrah in the daredevil action stakes our man nearly dies on a huge Wile E Coyote style rocket, is repeatedly gored after trying his hand at bull fighting (blindfolded) and gets knocked out three times during a host of other lunatic stunts.

While this year’s grotesque Dirty Sanchez movie was marred by homophobic taunting, sadism and violent invective, Jackass is an originally comic creation from a team of loveable rogues.

The other crucial difference is the pace at which the movie flows, with a non stop stream of incidents that include Steve-O being used as bait in shark infested waters, Pontius drinking horse semen and Margera having a huge penis tattooed on his buttocks with a cattle brand.

With nearly a whole other film’s worth of equally entertaining footage on this superb special features package, Jackass 2 may well be the best value for money DVD release of the year so far.

As well as 16 minutes of deleted scenes (and some extended footage of sequences included in the film) there is half an hour’s worth of brand new segments including cameos from John Waters and Luke Wilson. Virtually the whole cast appear on the unsurprisingly boisterous talk track, which involves plenty of Mickey taking and hyena-style laughing, but little of much cinematic interest.

Completing the package (as well as a handful of outtakes and award spots) is a half hour “making of” featurette, which has some amusing interviews and more behind the scenes footage.

By the sounds of things the boys aren’t going to do a third movie, possibly because their insurance bills must now cost more than their appearance fees.

Verdict

While the persistent deranged laughing begins to grate after a while and the threat of one of the stars doing serious damage to themselves one day lurks in the back of the mind, Jackass remains a thoroughly enjoyable watch that never feels like a TV concept dragged out for the big screen.

Rating: 18
Staring: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Ryan Dunn, Bam Margera, Chris Pontius, Spike Jonze
Directed by:
Extras: Cast commentary, The Making Of Jackass Number Two, Uncut Additional Segments, Deleted Scenes, Additional Segments, Outtakes, Uncut VMA Spots

Score

Review Recap

Price as reviewed: £20
The good: Thankfully, approaching middle age appears to have empowered rather than mellowed Jackass frontman Johnny Knoxville, Medicine ball Dodgeball in the dark - genius, despite its origins, Jackass never feels like a TV concept dragged out for the big screen
The bad: Surely one of the boys is going to get seriously hurt on of these days, Steve-O remains a thoroughly unpleasant character, the unrestrained pleasure that the lads take in their mates’ pain and embarrassment isn’t a great anti-bullying message
Quick verdict: Jackass remains a thoroughly enjoyable watch that never feels like a TV concept dragged out for the big screen
Score