Jackass 3.5

I've been known to really enjoy Jackass because not only is it amusing to watch, but it's like a series of failures or bloopers compiled into a film. After being hit or injured, their only response is laughter. Like that was what they wanted to achieve. Jackass 3D was released in 2010, and like with the previous installment, a Direct-to-DVD "film" was released that included all the unused stunts that were originally cut for the film.

Jackass 3.5 was clearly released without the care and attention put to the previous film. There is no consistency. Usually in Jackass films some of the best stunts are in the middle with the big opening and the grand finale to end it off. This one is at a very slim and slender eighty-four minutes and just packs some of the mildest Jackass has ever offered. A lot of it is funny, but not a lot is very elaborate or clever.

We get Wee-Man painted into a wall, the secretary nearly peeing herself after a train horn being installed in her office goes off, and way too many kicks in the nuts. We get little random five second clips, but the most interesting is when the jackasses are face to face with the camera discussing stunts and how it is to be a jackass. Bam says it's fifty-fifty most of the time. Saying fifty percent of the time it's "fun as hell" with the remaining fifty being "anxiety and paranoia" about what will happen next. They're interesting, but not long enough to deem my satisfaction.

My two favorite stunts were "Bombs Away!" and "The Fire Gauntlet." "Bombs Away!" is when the gang fills two liter bottles of diet coke with peppermint candies and then throws them, full force, at the ground to cause a loud and messy explosion. I'm surprised my buddies and I haven't killed ourselves doing that. "The Fire Guantlet" I refuse to talk about. I want you to have the same jaw dropping reaction I did.

Heavily hyped, but ultimately lacking in cutting edge stunts and gags, Jackass 3.5 shows not much more than the movie. What was cut was made for the best because nothing here should've been in the movie, besides "The Fire Gauntlet." I did like how we saw the castmates hit and beat up on each other frequently. Maybe a spin off series will be called Jerkoff where the aged Jackasses beat up on their friends. That would be an interesting second chapter.

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Ryan Dunn, Ehren McGhehey, Dave England, Preston Lacy, and Jason "Wee-Man" Acuña. Directed by: Jeff Tremaine.

I can honestly say this is better than Jackass 3D. The main commentary I keep hearing about Jackass 3D is that it felt forced. The stunts were too far-fetched and although it was still a cool movie, it just wasn't as funny as the old stuff. I liked the movie and laughed at most bits but I personally got the feeling that it was over, the novelty had worn off and it was the end of Jackass. But Jackass 3.5 is different. The pranks are back, the feeling of comradery is back and they went back to the style of stunts that made them popular many many years ago. The stunts are simpler and dumber than in Jackass 3D, they're the kind of stunts we got to know them with, and it's that style of stunts we love. The group is back together, and I'm sure all Jackass fans will love it. This movie brings back a lot of memories. There isn't much else to say, see it for yourself and laugh your *ss off !

Another Jackass .5 movie with extra footage that didn't make it into Jackass 3, but this one was not nearly as disappointing as Jackass 2.5. The scenes in this one that they cut out of Jackass 3 were better than the scenes in Jackass 2.5. In Jackass 2.5 there were a lot of interviews between the sketches, but Jackass 3.5 took it down a notch and made it more balanced between interviews/commentary and the sketches, which was good. This movie felt more like another Jackass movie than a DVD featurette, almost. I still like Jackass 2 and 3 the most though. But Jackass 3.5 is good enough to stand on its own.

The 'Jackass' franchise is definitely an 'acquired taste.' I dare say many will find the idea of a group of grown men coming up with new and immature ways to humiliate and hurt each other the last thing they want to watch as it's totally infantile. But then there are those of us - for whatever reason - who actually quite like it. Like me.

I've watched all the 'Jackass' movies and enjoyed - in a crude and low-brow way - all of them. Therefore, I was only too happy to rest my brain to the guys' latest offering. And, having seen it, I can say that, although it's nothing that new and most people who have seen one 'Jackass' movie will know what to expect, it does seem to be a grade below the average.

The stunts just didn't seem that over-the-top and interesting. Yes, there were the odd gross-out one here and there which stuck with me, but - ultimately - this is a film of the leftover stunts that didn't make the other films.

You'll get plenty of 'interviews' added to 'pad out' the run-time, but they hardly offer much insight into anything that you may actually be interested in. It's just the cast saying how much things hurt etc.

If you're a mega fan of the franchise then you'll probably enjoy some of what's on show here. However, it's not a vital addition to the collection and you're probably best off waiting for it to come on an online streaming service and watch it for free rather than paying any extra money to see it.

This is one that I only saw once when it hit DVD. Jaime and I watched it again just to check it out as something easy to watch. To throw this out, it is another fun one.

Much like 2.5, I love the documentary feel by interviewing cast members as a peak behind the curtain. This is footage that didn't make 3D, so there's that. Still fun though and we both enjoyed our time here. Not as good, but worth a watch.

My Rating: 6.5 out of 10.