JACKASS: BEST AND LAST - - Farewell Old Dogs

Review by Steve Barton II

It’s an honorable feat to release five films theatrically in a series and gross over $500 million worldwide. It’s even crazier when you see it’s one of the least traditional film series of all time, Jackass. Jackass has roots deep into both the skateboarding and punk rock cultures of the 1990s. The group mostly formed from collaborating on Big Brother Magazine and they eventually formed the Jackass crew. What began with a short lived MTV show morphed into five feature films, multiple spin-off shows/movies and multiple home video releases of extra footage cut from the theatrical releases. In total, the franchise has run for over 25 years, but Jackass: Best and Last is (allegedly) the final film they will ever make. Jackass: Best and Last serves as the send-off for this legendary crew where they reflect on past experiences good and bad, while also pulling off a few more crazy stunts that remind you why you love this series so much.

To start, if you're coming into this film and it’s your first exposure to Jackass as a concept, you’ll get it, but it won’t be nearly as rewarding. Jackass: Best and Last was made as a love letter to both themselves and the loyal fans. The original Jackass guys are all well into their middle-aged years with kids at home, so that makes them at least 70+ in stunt man years! These men put their lives on the line so many times over the years for our entertainment, so the idea that they owed their audience a proper send-off is a silly one. The insane nature and scale of the stunts over the 20+ year run earned the respect of the massive audience years ago and they didn’t have to prove anything to us. This film is more of a redemption for Johnny Knoxville after that devastating injury he suffered at the horns of the bull during his magic trick in Jackass Forever.

The way Jackass has grown and pivoted with trends and technology has kept the series feeling fresh. With the basic premise of Jackass staying the same over the years, it’s smart that they had the forethought to keep up with the times. A large part of that should be credited to the incredibly talented Spike Jonze and his creativity. While Spike still creates Oscar winning movies like Her, he finds time in his schedule to go back to lend his talent to his buddies and let loose. In Best and Last, Spike shot both the beginning and end sequences and used slow-motion and several practical effect techniques to create a memorable finale. The way they are able to both honor their legendary past cart stunt while updating it to still be fresh and fun speaks to how much thought and care they put into crafting this silly series.

The major issue with Jackass: Best and Last is the lack of new material in this finale film. While it may not be that exact balance, the footage seemed to be about 50% new stunts with either the old dogs or the younger generation and then the other half was a “best of” clip show with short intros from the cast. It does make sense that they would want to celebrate their legacy and highlight the big moments over the years, but most fans are probably hoping for more original stunts. The previously unreleased stunts are a welcome addition and having more commentary over that footage with a modern outlook would’ve been very interesting. The crafting of Jackass: Best and Last almost plays more like one of their “.5” home released movies rather than a big theatrical film.

In conclusion, Jackass: Best and Last is a decent send-off for the legendary stunt men, but it could’ve been something special. It’s understandable that Johnny and the guys may still be too beat up to put themselves through a whole new feature length set of stunts, but don’t do it if that’s the case. Jackass Forever was a perfect send-off for the crew and they could’ve fully pivoted to the new generation if they wanted to continue making movies. The new stunts like the escape room from hell, penis shock collar and Steve-O’s robotic medical exam were hilarious, but there should’ve been more bits like these! If you’re a lifelong Jackass fan, Jackass: Best and Last will still satisfy your need to see friendship and absurdity on the big screen in a group of strangers laughing.

Jackass: Best and Last is in theaters starting June 26th!

Rating: 3.5/5