About the only thing that can be safely said about the gross-out fest `Jackass The Movie' is that it is definitely an acquired taste. You will be either delighted or appalled by the masochistic antics contained in this film, and if you ever needed proof that there is a distinct cultural divide existing in this nation today, `Jackass' provides it in spades.
For those who do not know, `Jackass' is the brainchild of Johnny Knoxville and his assorted buddies who have made a lucrative industry out of devising and performing death- and injury-defying stunts so that likeminded individuals, from the comfort and safety of their couches and theater seats, can at least get a vicarious thrill by watching others act out what they themselves wish they had the nerve (or stupidity) to do. (The film, of course, comes with a `don't try this at home' proviso that is as transparently insincere as it is obviously ineffective). `Jackass' is like the ultimate boys-will-be-boys extravaganza, a fifth grade prankster's dream come true. Not only do the `men' perform the stunts, but they spend most of their time in convulsive hysterics responding to them. On-screen vomiting, defecating, intentional bloodletting and the imbibing of urine are just a few of the goodies offered up for the audience's delectation by the makers of the film. Think of this as the dark side of the Peter Pan Syndrome, a tribute to adult men who have serious maturity issues and who clearly refuse `to grow up.'
Like most compilation films, `Jackass The Movie' is a hit-and-miss proposition. Some of the `stunts' are clever and amusing, and there is a certain anarchic kick to be derived from seeing these guys pushing back the boundaries of conventional common sense and good taste. But there's also a certain mean-spirited tone to so much of what we see on screen that it interferes with our enjoyment of vast portions of the movie. Personally, I don't care if these guys want to injure, maim or even kill themselves to get their kicks, but why do they have to get so many of their laughs at the expense of other people? A number of the `bits' seem designed to do little more than humiliate hardworking business people, innocent bystanders and even members of their own families. In making a cruel version of `Candid Camera,' the filmmakers only heighten their own smugness and attitude of superiority, helping to alienate all but the group's most fanatical followers. What also surprises me given the general nature of the film's target audience, that is is just how homoerotic in tone many of these stunts turn out to be. I'm not saying that as a judgment against the film, but I do find it to be an interesting observation.
I don't want to belabor the issues too much here, and I certainly don't believe that the success of this film (and the TV show that spawned it) in any way foretells the imminent collapse of Western Civilization, as others have charged. That is clearly an overreaction. `Jackass The Movie' is obviously intended for a very specific niche audience and, in those terms, I guess, it gets the job done. Just make sure you're in that niche before spending your hard-earned money to see it. You've been forewarned.
