Allow me to preface this review by saying that my opinion evidently means a great deal to Paramount. In order to get this review, the studio paid to fly me to California and did everything in its power to make the two days I spent there as pleasant as possible.

I do appreciate that opportunity. And I wish I could repay them by raving about the brilliance of “Jackass 3-D.” But I find it hard to say anything constructive about two hours’ worth of six idiots hurting themselves in every way imaginable.

I will say this: Jackass knows exactly what it is. If you liked the first two movies, you’ll probably like this one too. It’s not highbrow or complicated, and it doesn’t try to be. The fact is, there’s a large contingent of the American public who will pay good money to watch guys getting hit in the crotch, over and over, in a variety of ways and by a variety of objects. In three dimensions.

And let’s talk about the 3-D. As Johnny Knoxville joked, “It’s kind of a no-brainer to make your third movie in 3-D. That’s how you get the title.” But the sad truth is, unless your name is James Cameron, 3-D technology doesn’t make that much of a difference to the overall experience of a movie. Besides which, the nature of Jackass is spontaneous, since so much of it is based on pranks. According to director Jeff Tremaine, “We were always ready to drop the 3-D cameras and shoot it with the run-and-go cameras…oftentimes, we’ll spend all this money, have this grand illusion that this one bit’s gonna be great, and while we’re setting that up, the funniest thing in the whole movie happens right next to it.”

Don’t get me wrong, there were a few scenes, notably one with a massive explosion where debris seemed to be flying at the audience, where the 3-D was amazing. And, as Bam Margera put it, “It’s the first movie in 3-D with shit and puke and stuff.” It was unpleasant enough watching the camera man throw up multiple times over the course of the movie; I think I’m just as glad that the 3-D technology didn’t materially alter my experience of those scenes.

That even the camera man, who surely is exposed to disgusting sights and smells every day, was unable to control his stomach should give you some idea of what to expect. I guarantee that at some point, someone is going to throw up right there in the movie theater. And, given the kind of audiences “Jackass 3-D” is likely to draw, some of the people will cheer.

And that, I think, is what draws people to Jackass movies. Maybe the disclaimer at the beginning of the movies warning you not to try this at home is unnecessary for most, but nearly all the Jackass stunts are extensions of common occurrences. Almost everyone has been stung by a bee, had a tooth pulled out or had to use a port-o-potty and gotten grossed out. These aren’t pleasant experiences, but there’s always a part of you that wonders what would happen if you took them to extremes—if you played tetherball with a beehive, pulled out a tooth unanaesthetized with a string tied to a Lambourghini or bungee jumped in a port-o-potty full of dog poo. The Jackass stunt guys, for reasons known only to themselves, have volunteered to help us answer these all-important questions, risking death or serious injury. Even if you close your eyes and look away while they’re doing it, you have to admire that kind of complete recklessness in the name of entertainment. As Preston Lacy put it, “I don’t have a yearning to get hurt. I have a yearning to make people laugh, and this is how I do it.”

Directed by: Jeff Tremaine
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O

Read Nora’s comments on the cast