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jackass: the movie
Studio: Paramount
Year: 2002
Rated: R
Film Length: 84 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 16X9 Enhanced Widescreen (1.78:1)
Subtitles: English
Do not attempt this at home
Well folks, I have just witnessed jackass the
movie for the very first time, and I gotta say
that the fat lady has sung. Now that I know how to
put a condom, anal lube and a toy car to
good use I have finally seen everything on Earth there
is to see and the good Lord can now take me away.
You can imagine that up until this evening I had
never experienced MTV's phenomenon known as jackass.
Basically, the show is a string of often crude
hazardous human tricks performed by Ringleader
Knoxville and his zany crew -- Bam Margera, Chris
Pontius, Steve-O, Dave England, Ryan Dunn, Jason "Wee
Man" Acuna, Preston Lacy and Ehren McGhehey. It's
a show where a handi-cam captures shenanigans performed
more for the thrill of the moment than for the camera.
The film has no script and no acting. It's basically
a bunch of trailer trash guys pushing the extremes to
which people will go to show disrespect for their own
bodies. Where else can you see guys electrocuting
their testicles, eating a urine-pissed snow cone, or
walking into a plumbing store and taking a crap on
the display toilet? How about taking a prize fighter
into a Japanese department store and allowing him
to punch you senseless or letting your stomach be
a target for plastic bullets?! Yes folks, jackass
is the most awful, nauseating, cringe-inducing,
moronic, sophomoric, stupid piece of pop culture that
I've ever seen. But you know what? The film is
pretty damn entertaining. The things that are done
in this film are things the majority of us will never
do out of fear of the repercussions, the injuries, and
what other people would think of us. The entertainers
from JACKASS live truly free lives and you can't
help but sit back and smirk at it all.
How is the transfer?
The film's cinematography is negligible, as much of
its footage was shot with hidden cameras. The footage
is often grainy and rough looking more like a home-
made movie (which on its $5 million budget it nearly
is!). Be it as it may, you'll be elated to learn
that the quality of this transfer is top-notch with
clarity that is just outstanding. At its best, images
are very well detailed and colors stand out vividly.
What really kicks ass is the film's 5.1 surround
mix that truly immerses us into the film's rock
soundtrack that encircles itself around the entire
listening area. With everyone from Andrew W.K., the
Ramones, the Minutemen, and the Sahara Hotnights, to
Sir Mix-A-Lot and Slayer, the diversity of this
soundtrack mirrors those of the extreme stunts
performed by Jackass Johnny Knoxville and his crew.
There is so much punch to this soundtrack that I
often found myself having had to turn the volume
down. This mix has sensational sound direction
and booming LFE support. Dialogue is dead center
with crisp and detailed audio across the fronts
and rears that support so many of the effect sounds
that you almost feel like you are in the middle
of the prank itself. I promise that this will be a
highly rewarding sonic experience for anyone that
turns the volume up HIGH. Be prepared!
Special Features
No boring promotional "fluff" pieces here, folks!
Everything you are about to witness is pure jackass
lunacy. If you liked the movie, not one of these
supplemental features should be missed!
First up is the full-length commentary by
director Jeff Tremaine, cinematographer Dimitry
Elyashkevich and Johnny Knoxville. The group
recorded this effort during the second week of
the film's theatrical release, and all are quite
amazed by the success it has enjoyed thus far.
This is actually more tame than I thought it would
be, and its quite exciting to listen to for the
fact that we learn so much more about how individual
stunts were set up and filmed. Every stunt has its
own story behind it and there's always some sort of
embarrassing story to talk about such as the one
about party boy who peed his pants several times on
the flight over to Japan. Definitely worth a listen!
It seems that the main idea conveyed in MTV's
"making of jackass the movie" is that this film
has given the opportunity for Johnny Knoxville and
his crew to give us the most outrageous moments that
they would never have been able to do on television.
We are taken to Jackass Headquarters where we see
the guys literally destroying an office with a
go-cart and by throwing one another into the plastered
wall. Next its on to various camera tests that were
used to decide what film format would best be suited
for what stunt. We also get to see the crew filming
various stunt introductions and voice pickups. On
to even more outrageous stunts that didn't
even make the film, while giving us some extended
peeks at the stuff that did -- such as one of the
guys breaking a tooth after a go-cart demolition
or the gang gearing up to crash their shopping cart
into a fruit stand. It's not too surprising to hear
one of the crew exclaiming "I'd like to say I'm having
a good time, but I do get grumpy and cranky alot."
You think?! This really isn't as much as a "making of"
than a really fun opportunity to see more mayhem, and
I promise, you'll enjoy it just as much as you did
the film.
(length: approx. 23 minutes)
A 7-minute outtakes reel is just as amusing
as the film itself, but since everything in this
film has been totally unscripted and played just
for laughs, how did they decide what was blooper
material? Well, there are quite a few lines flubbed
here as well as some underwater creatures and props
that just failed to work. Funny stuff!
Oh my God! If being subjected to the 84 minute
film and 23 minute "making of" wasn't enough.....
Additional Footage gives us 27 minutes of
more juvenile lunacy. Join Knoxville and his shock
jocks as they venture into an adult store and purchase
a plastic "ass" apparatus (of a man no-less). See
what they do to the pocket ass device and the face
of the store clerk upon its return. Then, join the
crew on a lovely pole vault jump over "poo river."
How about a line-up where the guys pull their pants
down and get their ass smacked hard by a bamboo shoot?
Too much pain you say?! Well, perhaps you'd rather
just sit back and enjoy the beauty of a "sand vagina."
If that isn't enough, it all ends with what possibly
is the world's most elaborate stunt. Though it doesn't
quite go off as expected, it certainly doesn't lack
shock value.
There is 5 minutes worth of TV promo spots
that also include commercials for merchandise and
even the CD soundtrack. The film's original
theatrical trailer is also here as well. I
have to say, any movie that praises itself by quoting
its own bad reviews has got to be alright!
There are separate cast and crew filmographies
that are very detailed and quite funny if you have
the time to go through them all.
Galleries provides the opportunity to browse
through approximately 34 production photos and various
poster art.
Finally, there is the inclusion of two music
videos: If you're gonna be dumb by Roger
Alan Wade and We want fun by Andrew W.K.
This is one of the few times that the supplemental
area is as fun as the film. If you liked the movie,
then you'll enjoy the fact that the party goes on
long after the film has ended.
Oh, yes, everything here is subtitled! Way to go Paramount!
Don't let me forget to talk about what I think is
a Paramount FIRST....the inclusion of
theatrical trailers at the beginning of
their DVD. Pop in the disc and be greeted with
trailers for The Core and Extreme Ops.
I am delighted Paramount is now including such
non-forced trailers at the beginning of their discs
but why oh why did they choose not to present them
anamorphic?!
Final Thoughts
Sometimes realistic, other times over-the-top,
jackass is the perfect party film to watch
with a bunch of guys and a few six packs of beer.
It's hard to imagine a small budget film with a
bunch of no-names and no script, ending up being
this damn entertaining.
I have never been so ashamed of my own laughter.
Release Date: March 25, 2003
All screen captures have been further compressed.
They are for illustrative purposes only and do not
represent actual picture quality
