Consider this a warning that "Jackass: Number Two" contains sexual explicitness, nudity, profanity, extremely crude behavior and life-risking stunts. With that being said, sit back and enjoy.
As in the first movie, this second installment of random and idiotic behavior begins by asking viewers not to imitate the stunts that are shown. The makers of the film might as well cut the warning, because there is no way that anyone would want to repeat these contemptible endeavors.
Following the television format of "Jackass" once again, nearly the entire movie is shot with handhelds, giving the stunts an authentic look devoid of special effects. It is this raw footage that gives the film its edge.
Most of the Jackass squad returns for the sequel, with rising star Johnny Knoxville ("The Ringer") as the lead and fan favorites Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius and Wee Man backing him up. The only non-returning member is Chris Raab.
The general idea of the movie is that Knoxville must somehow convince his co-stars to do insane stunts (as if the fat paychecks aren't enough). He uses motivational lines such as, "It's gonna hurt a lot, but it's just loud."
Such were Knoxville's words of encouragement for Ryan Dunn as he stood in the path of an anti-rioting weapon filled with over a thousand rubber balls.
Even Knoxville, the king of reckless idiocy himself, had to find courage on a particularly bad landing after a dangerous stunt.
"My head stopped my body from really getting hurt on that one," he said, giving the thumbs up to the camera.
Knoxville does share some camera talk-time with his mates.
"I'm ashamed of myself, I really am," said Pontius, after a stunt involving a horse and some milking.
With branding, puking and blindfolded bull-dodging all to be considered fair game, some people may think twice about watching this movie with a full stomach, or a weak one.
The movie was released two weeks after the death of Steve Irwin ("The Crocodile Hunter"), making the risk of what these danger-starved guys do a grim reality. Whether or not that is to be considered admirable is left to the audience.
As long as these boys have the audacity and the ability to do these stunts there will always be the possibility of more to come. However, not everyone in the cast may be that eager to do it all again.
After almost being brought to tears while locked in with a king cobra, Bam sums it up with a simple statement: "God, I hope there isn't a 'Jackass: Number Three'."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
