Slaphappy Stuntmen Serve-Up Jaw-Dropping, 3d Sequel

No movies have made me squirm in my seat and shout out loud more than those in the Jackass franchise, and this 3D version is no exception. Yes, Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O and the rest of their merry band of intrepid stuntmen have returned for another round of jaw-dropping, death-defying feats.

Make no mistake, the picture is based on locker room antics apt to offend females despite simultaneously appealing to males in much the same way The Three Stooges inexplicably touch men's primordial chord while being completely lost on women. I don't know what it is about just the right combination of comedy and slapstick violence, but Moe, Larry and Curly knew what they were doing, and so do Jackass' practical jokers.

Among this installment's highlights is a segment where a blindfolded guy plays "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" with a real donkey until the irritated animal delivers a swift kick to the crotch. Another bit called "Apple of My Ass" features a naked fat guy with an apple hidden deep in the folds of his anal cleft crawling around on all fours until a hungry pig decides to retrieve it.

Then there's a segment titled "Bad Dog" where Knoxville lets a rabid pit bull-looking hound bite him in the butt before he pulls down his pants to prove it was for real by showing the teeth marks. But not all of the action involves animals. For instance "Duck Hunting" has a scantily-clad human launched into the sky for the benefit of a bunch of marksmen prepared to pepper him midair with painful paintball pellets.

If you care to be grossed-out totally, brace yourself for the sight of flatulent "Will the Farter" playing the trumpet bottomless and inflating a balloon by passing wind. The piece de resistance of that skit has him then popping the balloon by shooting a blow dart out of his butt. Equally-unforgettable is "Helicockter" where a dude's private parts are tugged at tenaciously after being tied to a remote-controlled, toy helicopter.  

"The Blind Side," an hilarious homage to the film of the same name, involves a victim's taking vicious hits from an actual pro football player. Hey, if you like the holidays, you might enjoy "The Christmas Tree" where two of the jackasses climb to the top of a 50-foot tall  fir before crashing into a snow bank when their crazy compatriots cut it down with a chainsaw. And so forth. You know the drill.

Dozens of eye-popping displays of depravity not for the weak of stomach.

 

Excellent (4 stars)

Rated R for male nudity, profanity, extremely crude humor and dangerous stunts.

Running time: 94 Minutes

Studio: Paramount Pictures

 

To see a trailer for Jackass 3D