The boys are back in town with more gags, pranks and gross-outs.
Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O and the whole crew return to the big screen in “Jackass: Number Two,” opening in theaters today.
“Jackass: The Movie” was released in 2002, which essentially was a longer, uncut version of the television series which aired on MTV. In it, the guys were allowed to get away with much more – no bleeping out the obscenities, no blurring the nudity.
Critics and conservatives slammed it, Jackass fans embraced it. It was disgusting, dangerous, dumb and hilarious. And the sequel is grosser, riskier, stupider and funnier.
Almost all the guys from the TV series and first movie are back including Ryan, Chris, Ehren, Preston, “Wee-Man,” director Jeff Tremaine and producer Spike Jonze. The only original cast member who did not appear in “Number Two” was Chris Raab “Himself.”
The brilliance of this sequel is that it does not require viewers to have seen the first movie, as there is no storyline to continue. It is simply a compilation of stunts and practical jokes, and for fans, it goes beyond expectations.
There are many similarities to the first movie, such as the intro and the ending and some of the reoccuring jokes. Viewers will see more of Preston chasing Wee Man, more of Bam wreaking havoc on his parents April and Phil, and more of the guys wrangling wildlife.
But, the second time around the stunts are more dangerous, more disgusting and more painful, which makes them funnier. In the intro of the first movie the guys roll down the street in a giant shopping cart; in the second they are chased by bulls through a suburban neighborhood. In the first, Steve-O walks a tightrope over an alligator pit, and in the second Chris Pontius goes shark-fishing with Steve-O used as human bait. April found an alligator in her kitchen in the first, the guys wrestled anacondas in a children’s ball pit in the sequel.
“Number Two” is bigger and better. The sequel caused more injuries, has an elaborate song-and-dance number and even made Bam cry. There are many memorable scenes in the movie, including those involving Bam’s rear-end being branded, Steve-O’s “butt chug” trick, and a hilarious bit called “Terror Taxi” where Ehren thinks he is pulling a prank on a taxi driver but essentially gets “punked” himself.
This movie is not for the faint of heart, in particular those easily offended or anyone who does not find potty humor, nudity, foul language or self-inflicted pain the least bit funny. Though in disclaimers and warnings the filmmakers say no one should recreate the stunts because they are done by “professionals,” as the title indicates, the movie showcases a bunch of guys basically just running around being jackasses. And, the fans cannot seem to get enough. During the movie, Bam says, “Please, God, don’t let there be a Jackass 3.”
It might be safe to say that fans will disagree.
