I have the regrettable duty to inform you all that “Jackass: Number Two” is not going to be the intellectual thriller that we were all hoping for.
No new ground is broken, no ancient mystery is rediscovered and then solved, and there is certainly no overall message to be taken in.
But who cares? It’s funny.
The second installment of the “Jackass” films doesn’t need to have its premise explained.
Any fan who watched the original television series or the first movie knows what “Number Two” is all about: it’s an hour and a half of a bunch of guys doing stuff that would make anyone else question the direction their life was heading.
“Jackass: Number Two” is a genre unto itself, as well as a film that proves that you don’t need some fancy Hollywood “script” or “plot.” Instead, you just need a budget of five million dollars, some hardcore dedication, and a room full of guys going, “Hey, what if we…?”
All of the stunts that take place either make you laugh, or just stare, stare, stare with a look of horror at that big ol’ silver screen.
I can’t really tell you about any of the details, otherwise I’d probably ruin a good deal of the movie. So no, I can’t tell you about “Medicine Ball Dodgeball.” I can’t tell you what happens during “The Switcharoo.” I most certainly can’t say anything about the film’s penultimate scene, “Terror Taxi,” and I definitely can’t tell you how Johnny Knoxville almost dies. Sorry, but that would probably be wrong.
I can however, tell you about one of the scenes entitled “How to Milk a Horse.” It was apparently too much for the Motion Picture Association of America and had to be censored by the MPAA. People, this is an R-rated movie. Go ahead and ask yourself how far you have to go to be forcibly edited in that kind of format.
Regardless of the lengths the cast goes to in the name of entertainment, the show does become repetitive after time. “Number Two” definitely has its memorable moments, but it does have a number of scenes that seem either dull or weird.
For example, the film’s climactic finale is anything but climactic. The audience is instead presented with a “Hollywood” ending that breaks with the style that made the franchise popular to begin with. By the end, even Bam is lamenting, and I quote, “I hope there’s not a “Jackass 3.” It’s just not funny anymore.”
Bam could be right. Near the end of the movie, it seems like the guys were beginning to run a little low on ideas. “Jackass: Number Two” has certainly pulled in enough cash to warrant a third installment, but a second sequel may not be practical for creative reasons.
Regardless, “Jackass: Number Two” is that sort of movie that you know you have to go see, but depending on your expectations you may or may not become disappointed with what the film really has to offer.
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