Jackass 3.5

This is one that I only saw once when it hit DVD. Jaime and I watched it again just to check it out as something easy to watch. To throw this out, it is another fun one.

Much like 2.5, I love the documentary feel by interviewing cast members as a peak behind the curtain. This is footage that didn't make 3D, so there's that. Still fun though and we both enjoyed our time here. Not as good, but worth a watch.

My Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

The 'Jackass' franchise is definitely an 'acquired taste.' I dare say many will find the idea of a group of grown men coming up with new and immature ways to humiliate and hurt each other the last thing they want to watch as it's totally infantile. But then there are those of us - for whatever reason - who actually quite like it. Like me.

I've watched all the 'Jackass' movies and enjoyed - in a crude and low-brow way - all of them. Therefore, I was only too happy to rest my brain to the guys' latest offering. And, having seen it, I can say that, although it's nothing that new and most people who have seen one 'Jackass' movie will know what to expect, it does seem to be a grade below the average.

The stunts just didn't seem that over-the-top and interesting. Yes, there were the odd gross-out one here and there which stuck with me, but - ultimately - this is a film of the leftover stunts that didn't make the other films.

You'll get plenty of 'interviews' added to 'pad out' the run-time, but they hardly offer much insight into anything that you may actually be interested in. It's just the cast saying how much things hurt etc.

If you're a mega fan of the franchise then you'll probably enjoy some of what's on show here. However, it's not a vital addition to the collection and you're probably best off waiting for it to come on an online streaming service and watch it for free rather than paying any extra money to see it.

Jackass 3.5 is the superior .5 out of the two that feels more complete than its predecessor thanks to a longer run time and more sketches. There's a better balance between insightful behind the scenes and fun interviews that further reinforce the group's strong chemistry as well as some truly iconic stunts that are just as good as the ones in the actual film. Jeff Tremaine's direction is great and the opening is genuinely one of the strongest and most fun out of the whole franchise. However, like all Jackasses the flaw lies in a few gags that are gross rather than funny.

Johnny Knoxville and the gang return in this extra footage from Jackass 3D. Honestly, this is more fun than most of their movies. It gets into the behind-the-scenes feel of these idiots trying to prank each other. That's the truly fun stuff which is better than their usual homoerotic electrical stunts. It's the surprises and the stupidity. It's trying to ambush somebody while hiding behind a chain-linked fence. The camel-toe lady is a failed stunt but it's the most hilarious bit. Their failure and the reaction of the passersby are the true gems. "I'm not gay. I'm not crazy either." The flaming gauntlet is actually thrilling because I'm rooting for him to make it. The guys prank some of staff including a couple of girls. This is slightly more fun because we've seen it all with the guys electrocuting their nuts.

The Jackass series is gross out humour that is funny because it's stupid and people get hurt. These guys have been doing this thing for ten years now. 3 films later, the stuff they do is still funny. Jackass 3.5 is pretty exactly what Jackass 2.5 tried to be. The crew shot so much footage, that it could essentially be another movie. So instead of adding the scenes for special features, they made 2.5 and now 3.5.

If you are a bit apprehensive about this one because of the lackluster 2.5, don't be. Jackass 3.5 is hilarious and maybe even funnier than Jackass 3D. They have a better flow and format down for this addition and it shows. Everything runs smoother, it's not horribly intercut every time with interviews that we don't care about. Every so often it will cut to someone explaining something, but 2.5 was interview overkill. Here they have significantly cut it back and let the stunts do the talking.

3.5 showcases a lot more male nudity then the other entries, I think you see Pontius and his penis 4 times...in super slow motion no less. Using the state of the art Phantom camera, that big productions like Sherlock Holmes used, we get to see male parts move around in slow motion. Hilarious and disturbing at the same time.

This is a recommendation for any fan of the series. The DVD has some nice features as well, you get a look at the initial creation of the show, how half-assed the stunts were and how young everyone is. It's nostalgic.

In short, Jackass 3.5 is funny and a big step up from the disappointing 2.5, which definitely should have been left for deleted scenes. Jackass 3.5 is worth the viewing.