Jackass Forever is cringy and gross and immature and watching it feels more like a trial than an entertainment experience. Strangely enough, though, I don’t hate it. I haven’t hated any of the Jackass movies even though my opinion on them has remained largely the same.
At the same time, though, Jackass Forever is somewhat… comforting. It’s like wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket that does nostalgia correctly unlike so many other legacy sequels. I’ve tried to wrap my brain around what makes this movie so… oddly comfortable for a couple of weeks now since I first saw it and the only conclusion I can come up with is that this is a movie about a bunch of genuine friends having genuine fun. It’s like revisiting a frat you used to be a part of and discovering that everyone still loves to play beer pong. No one has grown up, they’ve just gotten older. We’ve lost some friends along the way, but we’ve made some new ones as well.
And of course, everyone is a little more fragile.
Look, if you enjoy these dumb movies, you’re going to enjoy this one too. Me, I find the stunts gross and disgusting, but I love the relationship between the Jackass crew. It’s genuinely heartwarming. It’s almost a crew that I wouldn’t mind being a part of on the condition that I don’t have to do any stunts and I remain fully clothed.
There’s really not a lot more I can say about Jackass Forever. The stunts seem to get crazier and more disgusting with every act, the situations are hard to watch and yet you cannot look away, and I don’t think I’ve involuntarily crossed my legs more than when I watched this movie.
And yet, I cannot look away.
Jackass Forever manages to do the legacy sequel without cheapening the brand. This is a love it or hate it franchise, but chances are, if you loved it, you will continue to do so.
Jason Gaston 