What makes the stupidity of 'Jackass Forever' feel so smart?

By Jake Skubish

In Greek mythology, the story of Icarus is a cautionary tale. His father, Daedalus, builds a pair of wings for himself and for Icarus in order to escape captivity. Daedalus warns Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but Icarus neglects this advice, flying higher and higher until the heat of the sun melts his wings and causes him to crash toward Earth.

In Jackass Forever, Johnny Knoxville reappropriates the story of Icarus in what can only be described as the exact opposite of a cautionary tale. Knoxville, adorned with a large pair of wings strapped to his back, loads himself into a giant cannon. The Jackass crew light the cannon, causing a small explosion that rockets Knoxville high into the air over a small body of water. The peak of Knoxville’s ascent is captured by a glorious aerial shot as the Jackass ringleader spreads his wings for the camera. If the story of Icarus is supposed to teach us not to go too far in the name of euphoria, nobody ever told Johnny Knoxville. He would gladly fly straight into the sun if it got a laugh.

Jackass Forever premiered twenty years after the first Jackass film. Even approaching fifty years old, the elder members of the crew have not slowed down. Many of the best gags are so revolting that I won’t venture to describe them here, nor could I possibly do them justice. Suffice it to say that the Jackass squad possesses a tolerance for pain almost beyond belief. They electrocute each other, allow wild animals to attack their faces, and pummel each other’s genitals with semi-erotic glee. One scene involving a swarm of bees is one of the most unbelievable things I have ever seen in a movie theater, intensely grotesque yet somehow gloriously cinematic. In this sense Jackass is the quintessential communal theatergoing experience. Scenes that would be unbearable to watch alone are elevated when you share a moment of total disbelief with a room full of strangers.

These uninhibited pranksters are, without question, performing incredibly stupid acts, over and over again. So why does the whole enterprise feel so smart? There are four key reasons. Reason one: Their total lack of fear is fascinating, if not advisable for the wider human race. There is something about the Jackass gang’s absolute willingness to put themselves in harm’s way that feels almost sublimely selfless. After Johnny Knoxville, in a stupefying scene, allows himself to be gored by a bull, he is carried off on a stretcher to the hospital with broken bones and a concussion. Upon emerging from the hospital, Knoxville asks about a particular detail of that gag; after he was mauled, he wasn’t sure if he nailed it. It’s a moment that speaks to the commitment Jackass has to reaching its goals, no matter the risks. It also underscores one way in which Jackass differs from other, similar humor: the joke is always on themselves, not on other people.

Reason two to endorse the wisdom of Jackass: the crew’s exuberant creativity and curiosity. Not only are the gags completely disgusting, they are also unlike anything I have ever seen. As critic Matt Singer put it, the film presents its audience with “something that has never been captured by a motion picture camera before.” Why think up these elaborate set pieces? Oftentimes, it is curiosity for curiosity’s sake. After a scene I would describe as “penis paddle ball” (whatever you are thinking, it’s worse), Chris Pontius remarks, “Now we know what that’s all about.” Why any human being would want to know what that gag was all about is beyond comprehension. But I have to say that I respect the impulse toward curiosity, even when it’s in the pursuit of idiotic antics. The Jackass crew is always seeking new ideas, and always asking why.

Reason number three: the Jackass crew, despite the harm they inflict on each other, has cultivated a truly loving community. These guys have been friends for decades, and you get the sense that they genuinely love each other. They create these Jackass films with unbridled joy, and are always having so much fun with each other. Jackass Forever also incorporates younger stars (Rachel Wolfson, Eric André, Tyler the Creator) who grew up watching Jackass and now have an opportunity to join in the amusement. The inclusion of this next generation is a demonstration of how much happiness Jackass has brought to so many people.

The final reason I found some latent wisdom in Jackass Forever is a bit more somber: by the end of the film, a feeling starts to creep in that there are indeed limits to what these performers are capable of. After one particularly dangerous stunt, Dave England asks the crew, “Are we done?” He really means it: there’s a pleading anxiety in his tone, as if he’s worried about what will happen if they’re not done.

These guys are getting old, and they can’t keep this up forever. Jackass Forever reckons with this fact. I love Jackass, but if this is the end of the line for the franchise, I might also breathe a sigh of relief. Still, I’m glad Knoxville and company exist, and that I can voyeuristically indulge in their antics. I never want to be shot out of a human cannon, but watching Knoxville do so with reckless abandon is akin to safely feeling the warmth of the sun.