Premiering on MTV last week was Jackass 3.5, the next piece in this epic saga of pranks, stunts and gags. Anyone familiar with Jackass 2.5 should feel right at home here. Jackass 3.5 is a sequel to Jackass 3D. The film is made up of footage that was shot for the film but never made it into the final cut, unused footage if you will. Star Johnny Knoxville originally said that they shot two movies worth of material and it looks like he was right. With Jackass 3.5 we get a full fledged sequel that is equally as good as its predecessor and just as funny.
I think it’s a fair assumption to say that no one is going into this blind. What I mean is that if you’re looking to watch or buy Jackass 3.5, you clearly have some idea of what Jackass is. And so, I’ll spare you the redundancy and not waste your time by explaining the premise of the film. I will tell you though that if you enjoy Jackass films, then this one is a no-brainer.
You’re either in one of two camps by this point. You either love these films or thing they’re incredibly stupid. If you’re in the latter, then you mise well back out of this review now, it’s not like Jackass 3.5 is going to change your view on the series. But, if you do enjoy these films, then you won’t be disappointed by what is offered here.
Like I said before, this is really a whole new film, totally deserving of a 4 at the end of its title rather than the 3.5. The entire gang returns for more over the top and completely crazy stunts. While some of them aren’t terribly amusing, a lot of them are on par with, if not better, than what we saw in Jackass 3D.
Like I said in my Blu-Ray review of Jackass 3D, it’s hard not to admire these guys and the unique camaraderie that they have. With Jackass 3.5, they continue to put themselves on the line, performing more and more dangerous and outrageous stunts. Despite this, they keep going, never giving up and always ready for the next challenge.
One could say that this is just more of the same, but if we’re going down that road, that mentality can be applied to the entire series. All the movies are just more of the same but then again, that’s what fans want and the gang is always able to deliver. Jackass 3.5 is no different. More nudity, more swearing, more shenanigans and more stunts. Steve-O’s firewalk and the paintball shooting helicopter are highlights but like I said before, most of the stuff here is pretty good and I’m still wondering why it didn’t get put into Jackass 3D.
While the stunts are mostly great and a ton of fun to watch, perhaps the best part of the film is the behind the scenes stuff. We get a lot of scenes that show the cast and crew on set just messing around and discussing their stunts. We got a bit of it in Jackass 3D but there’s much more here and it’s nice to see the more human side of these guys, it adds character to them. Their insights are interesting and it helps to shed a bit of light on why these guys do what they do. These scenes made the film feel more personal, which only serves to bring us closer to the merry band of stuntmen. This more reflective side works well and is a nice change of pace from Jackass 3D, which really just cut from stunt to stunt with not much in between.
Overall, this is just as good, if not better than Jackass 3D. It’s a must watch for Jackass fans and is worthy of a purchase for anyone looking to get another Jackass fix. The stunts are still just as hilarious this time around and the behind the scenes stuff that is put into the film gives it a whole new, and welcome dimension. If you enjoy Jackass then I highly suggest checking this one out. After all, where else can you see an electric limbo?
