October 18, 2010: Jackass 3D
Presently we’re going through the third cinematic attempt at 3D technology, each cycle separated by about 30 years. We’ve come a long way from the 3D sci-fi B-movies of the 1950s and the monster flicks of the early 1980s – technologically, if perhaps not narratively. I’m finding it entertaining to watch the chaos as the 3D concept is shoehorned into the third entry in any film series, and also hurriedly applied to big action films long after the point when it can be done properly. However, I was filled with glee at the notion of a Jackass movie in 3D, and I daresay they have brought something previously unseen to the use of the gimmick – heart.
Now, don’t you all go asphyxiating yourselves laughing and crying simultaneously at my simple-minded delusion that the Jackass franchise can be anything other than putrid trash. I will certainly admit that Jackass 3D, taken at face value and with none of the history, could be seen as crass and degrading and without any redeeming value. But the history of the Jackass “characters” and how they interact here is what brings the depth and meaning to this third feature.
The basic concept of Jackass is that there is a group of about 8 or 10 guys who are a motley mix of stuntmen and skateboarders and clowns and daredevils, and they perform various stunts and dares and practical jokes on each other and on their celebrity friends and sometimes on an unsuspecting public. Each bit may run for several minutes of screen time or for only a few seconds. It began as a half-hour show on MTV and ran for a few short seasons, and they made the leap to feature films in 2002. The first film had some hilarious moments but was severely hampered by an imbalance in the material, since for the first time they were able to do material not suitable for television, which led to an excess of gross-out “gags” and not enough of the silly and dangerous stunts that I loved so much. (Apparently I wasn’t alone, since a similarly-themed show called Nitro Circus came to MTV, which focuses almost exclusively on the stunts, and features many of the Jackass players). The second film had more of an obligatory feel to it and was weak. But this group has been together now for a decade, honing their jackassery and polishing their presentation, and Jackass 3D not only brings a great mix of material, but we also see the continued camaraderie among this unlikely crew and the real deep friendship which is required in order to torment each other so ruthlessly. Bam Margera’s fear of snakes is exploited once again, and Steve-O groans as he questions why he has to be himself and get stuck with all of the most disgusting gags. They each have their individual legends and legacies to live up to and it almost overwhelms them. Ringleader Johnny Knoxville seems to be the only one who really relishes the continued abuse, and he earns his stripes as the alpha male of this all-alpha gang again and again. Now don’t get me wrong – I would hate to have these guys as my friends, always needing to be on the lookout – but it’s touching to see them all on the same wavelength, with individuals appreciating the complexity and effort going into the practical jokes even as they are victimized.
Of course, this is not highbrow material and it’s representative of the smashing of taboos which has continued during the past 10 years through which Jackass has existed. There’s plenty of disgusting material here, and I believe my wife would have thrown up somewhere between 2 and 6 times during this film if she had seen it, triggered half the time by on-screen puking, which brings me back to the usage of 3D. Aside from set-piece sequences at the start and end of the film, the camera is mostly stationary, but the very clarity and depth of field which arises from an unmoving camera helps to immerse the viewer in the stunt, as we watch the featured players in the centre, surrounded on all sides by other members of the group, some in the background and others seemingly in front of us as they look on and we see their backs. So when objects are thrown, or the group scatters to avoid getting hit by something gross, or someone pukes in any direction, we’re a part of the action. It really does help to make the viewer feel like part of an intimate group watching the silly stunt, rather than merely observing from afar. And of course, for the stunts with cars and ramps and bungee cords and such (yes, port-a-potties can be attached to bungee cords, but only by “professionals”), the 3D effect enhances the realism of the flying objects. The funniest part of the movie for me and a sequence which is absolutely worth the price of admission has the group at an airport with a plane fixed in place and revving its jet engines, as they throw things into the jetwash and watch them get propelled hundreds of yards VERY quickly. It’s even better when someone stands behind the plane and these items smash into the people. Who wouldn’t love to see that in 3D?
Well, I’m clearly not the only one, since Jackass 3D won its opening weekend at the box office with about $50 million in ticket sales. I was struck by a writeup I saw by legendary film director John Waters after the release of the film, as he marveled at how gross-out images which were once so taboo when depicted in his groundbreaking films of the 1970s, most notably Pink Flamingos (1972), are now presented in multiplexes everywhere as family entertainment with parents and kids laughing along together. We’ve come a long way, and lots of people would say it’s a bad thing, but is getting a little bit closer to real human nature really something to be condemned?
Venerable franchise has victorious third outing.
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