Jackass 3D

Third theatrical venture based on the MTV show. No plot, just a compilation of Johnny Knoxville et all, performing various dangerous, crude, ridiculous, and self-injuring stunts and pranks. Emphasis on crude as these gags are a bonafide modern day freak show. Other times the antics seems to threaten lives. One ugly sketch has the participants using a beehive filled with angry bees as a tetherball. Every once in a while there is something ingenious that makes the effort worthwhile. Phantom high speed cameras which shoot at 1,000 frames per second are frequently used to record the action at jaw droppingly slow speeds. The opening and closing sequences (as well as many of the stunts) were filmed this way. These bookends are moderately interesting shorts of visual style. Later, one fascinating stunt uses the force of a powerful jet engine to launch random items (shoes, fresh produce, people) at mind-blowing acceleration. It’s a spellbinding mixture of science and idiocy, the coolest thing in the whole 94 minutes. If more of the exploits were of that variety this could have been more entertaining. Instead we get acts so hazardous they court death, threatening to turn the proceedings into an actual snuff film. In other parts we are presented with gags so repulsive they literally make you gag. That this is a mainstream movie is a shocking document on what is now socially acceptable. I’ll spare you any details of what you’ll encounter, but trust me, it‘s disgusting. I suppose there is honor in warning people from seeing it, however. It was a loss of innocence for me.